But it's also true that moping around and feeling sorry for yourself-although it may be absolutely necessary at a particular time-can lead to more of the same. And simply smiling can help.

Spiritual leaders and peace activists, encourage us to smile often and notes that the act of smiling relaxed the muscles of the face and has many benefits. His work has inspired many people to smile as part of a spiritual practice.

Sometimes I encourage my clients to engage in creative acts of pretending, not to run from the truth, but rather to discover new truths. Pretending joy or happiness can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, helping us discover or enhance our capacity for these positive feelings.

Consider doing an experiment for ten days. Pretend that you feel fine, even happy. Observe the results of your own experiment. You'll see if you ultimately feel a greater sense of zest and more empowered to act on your own behalf-or not.

P.S. If you're a person who always appears to have it together, and who doesn't share problems or vulnerability, ignore this advice. You may need to experiment with the opposite. Authenticiy and good self- esteem petence and our vulnerabilities and weaknesses (we all have both) in a balanced way.