I found something funny last week when I overheard someone asking their child to act right. It made me realize that we’re in control of how we feel. We open ourselves to the emotions we decide to feel. To an extent. We can’t be happy all the time. It would be exhausting. However, we can choose, in a moment, to feel a certain way. Much of the way we feel is based on our body language. To feel a certain way we should act like we feel that way already.
It’s no secret that people who are happy will smile. If we try putting a big grin on our faces for the next minute, the we might experience a shift in our mood. Maybe if we look in a mirror, or straighten our posture, hold our shoulders back, or this sort of thing. If we check into how we feel before and after, we might notice a difference.
This makes me realize that our parents were well intentioned when they would suggest this sort of thing when we were growing up because these actions and their associated emotions allow us to make the best impression on the people we meet, which in turn gives us better opportunities in life.
We should act right because it’s the right thing to do. Even better, it sets us up for success.