Stress and Facial Expressions

I was going through a lot of stress all through last week and was feeling totally drained. My stress had become more of a problem than the problem itself! I had a severe headache for most of the day along with other aches and pains. So, at one point I decided to replace "problem" with "opportunity".


When we are facing any situation, be it stress or joy, our entire body works in a perfectly synchronized manner. When faced with stress, the first thing that happens is, a change in facial expressions - we carry a frown on our face. The forehead is creased, the brows knit, lips turned downward and so on. The rest of the body follows suit: our neck stiffens, so does our back, our heart beats like crazy...

Now, if we could break this chain, then the intensity of everything that follows will reduce. The key lies in handling our facial expression.

When in a stressful situation, become aware of your facial expression: this awareness itself will change your outlook. And "undo" all the knots on your face. Loosen your shoulders, relax your back and smile, if possible. Breathe. When this much is done, even your mind becomes clear and you can think better; and cope with stress better.