EPL #3: A Happy Liver

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet." ~James Openheim

Today's story comes from page 231 of the book (I sound like a kindergarten teacher!). In the movie, Julia Roberts is discussing her daily ritual with Ketut. She explains that she gets up, then mediates, and then she comes to see Ketut. He makes a couple of subtle changes. One of those changes is to her meditation.

He says that the meditation she learned in India is fine, but it's too serious. So after she does her serious meditation, then she should meditate while smiling. And then he tells her to "Even smile in your liver!"


You know, I think there is something to that. Think about those people who you know that are always happy. They are always smiling and cheerful and genuinely seem to be in a good mood and to love their lives. I bet it's because they smile in their livers.

I love happy people. And I think for the most part I am one.....don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I don't have my moments......I'm saying for the most part. I've always been someone who makes the best out of the situations that I end up in. I think for some people this comes naturally. For others, I think that it might take a little more work.

I think the idea of trying to smile while you are doing something else is probably a great way to cultivate more happiness in your life. Now, I'm no meditator. When I go to hot yoga and the make me lay still at the end of class my mind goes 100 miles an hour and I cannot wait for someone else to move so that I can get up and get going! And I'm also not a morning person. Whatsoever. I have it down to a science how late I can stay in bed and still make it out the door to work in time. So....you're not going to be reading anytime soon about me sitting around in the mornings smiling with my liver.

Instead, I'm going to just try and smile more throughout my day---be it sitting in my office or when I'm walking around the office, when I'm at the gym and even when I'm talking on the phone. My good friend Robyn recently wrote a book that will be out sometime soon (don't worry....you'll all know when it's available!) and she explains that you can tell when someone is smiling even on the other end of the phone. This simple act can brighten the day of the person on the other end of the call, and will probably brighten yours as well!

So.....Ketut says to smile with our livers. And I'm going to listen to anyone who is 109 years old. Or 65. He can't remember. :)

(photo courtesy Oprah.com)