Smiling More

I think sometimes I look at someone smiling through pain and think "that person is so fake. There's no way they feel like smiling".

But maybe how we approach pain is a choice, not a necessity. I can feel depressed or sad or tired or angry and respond with a smile. And that smile, that laugh, can make me feel better and good about my life. 

And I think those are moments I look back at with fondness. I can remember certain times someone upset me and I just let it go or smiled back. And that felt wholesome and good. I felt more in control of my mood and of my life in those moments.

I am certainly human and have to remember I won't always have it in me to smile. Sometimes my emotions will take the drivers seat. And I certainly don't want to smile as a way of hiding my pain from others. 

But I think what I have to ask myself is: In this challenging moment, what do I want? If I want to feel my feelings for a bit and process them, great. But if I want to work on accepting a difficult moment and move forward, perhaps a laugh is the best remedy. 

I think this is why I'm enjoying comedy so much lately. It helps me take life less seriously. It's helping me look at the challenges in my life and put them in a funny way that gives me and others catharsis. Who doesn't love that shit?