A smile comes after we feel happy, and a frown comes after we are sad – or does it? What if it’s sometimes the other way around? Research is increasingly finding that the body language isn’t a one way street. And you can even use it to change your mood.

One day in middle school, my social studies teacher noticed that I was upset and suggested that I fake a smile. I sighed in protest, telling myself that she'd lost her mind. I didn’t feel like smiling. I felt like crying.

Still, with her encouragement, I tried it anyway. Oddly enough, it worked. I relaxed. My problems didn’t go away, but I felt a strange sense of optimism about things anyway. It was a subtle shift. In the grand scheme of things, it didn't fix much. But it made me feel better, and gave me just enough relief to look at things with a shift in perspective.

As it turns out there’s scientific proof behind the concept that even just your body language can affect your mood. Go ahead, do some research on it! 

These shifts in body posture may not fix your problems or drastically shift your mood. However, with repeated practice, they will likely begin to encourage your mind to relax in stressful situations. Similar to opposite action, posture that doesn’t match your emotions has a way of tricking your mind and “flipping a switch.” 

If you want to take things a step further, try letting out a fake laugh. The louder and more purposely dramatic, the higher the chance that you will find yourself genuinely laughing at your forced laughter.