| An Interview with El Edwards of Youier.com Tell us about your practice. I love to smile and I find it really easy to see the best in all things (whether that be people or situations) and so now, while I often times do it without even thinking about it, if the day is feeling cranky or a bit off, I take a deep breath, remind myself that I’m the queen of silver linings, and then look for the silver lining (or the silly thing to smile about!) in whatever situation I’m in. What’s your favorite part of this practice? |  “My name’s El Edwards and I’m here with stories and inspiration to help you smile every day while being completely and unapologetically, wholly and totally you.” |
I love that this starts to become a habit so that, before you know it, you end up infecting others with your smiles!
What benefits do you get from engaging in this practice? How does it make your life better?
The biggest benefit is that the gloomy stuff doesn’t last as long. Anyone who tells you they’re happy all of the time is either lying or deluded. As much as I love to help people smile and I love happy endings, I’m also about being real. Life isn’t all happiness and sunshine, sometimes life sucks! The lovely thing about getting into the habit of looking out for the silver lining is it propels you through the crap stuff faster than if you just sit in.
Who might this practice be good for?
This practice can be used by anyone but if you’re someone who has a tendency to get locked in a gloomy place, this is especially useful because it’s one of those things that gets easier and more natural, the more you do it.
The other neat thing is that your brain can’t tell the difference (chemically speaking) between real smiles and fake smiles so even if you can only muster a half-hearted attempt, your brain will still release a flood of endorphins and before you know it you’ll be smile for real.
What would you recommend to someone taking up this practice? How should they start?
My best advice for anyone who wants to start being a silver lining spotter is simply to start. Decide that you want to give it a try (set a timer on your phone for every hour if it helps you remember) and then just do it.
Here’s why ...
You know how when you buy a new car you suddenly start noticing cars just like yours on the road? Or, when you found out your were expecting a baby, all of a sudden babies were everywhere? That’s your reticular activating system (RAS) at work. It’s your brain’s way of filtering information so you only have to deal with the stuff that’s relevant or interesting to you.
It also means that the more your start looking for the things in your day to smile about, the more your brain will help you out by bringing those things to your attention.
So, set a timer on your phone and every hour, on the hour, look for something delightful. Before you know it you’ll be doing it without even having to think about it!
What's a favorite quote you like?
“Every day may not be wonderful, but there’s something wonderful in every day.”
What benefits do you get from engaging in this practice? How does it make your life better?
The biggest benefit is that the gloomy stuff doesn’t last as long. Anyone who tells you they’re happy all of the time is either lying or deluded. As much as I love to help people smile and I love happy endings, I’m also about being real. Life isn’t all happiness and sunshine, sometimes life sucks! The lovely thing about getting into the habit of looking out for the silver lining is it propels you through the crap stuff faster than if you just sit in.
Who might this practice be good for?
This practice can be used by anyone but if you’re someone who has a tendency to get locked in a gloomy place, this is especially useful because it’s one of those things that gets easier and more natural, the more you do it.
The other neat thing is that your brain can’t tell the difference (chemically speaking) between real smiles and fake smiles so even if you can only muster a half-hearted attempt, your brain will still release a flood of endorphins and before you know it you’ll be smile for real.
What would you recommend to someone taking up this practice? How should they start?
My best advice for anyone who wants to start being a silver lining spotter is simply to start. Decide that you want to give it a try (set a timer on your phone for every hour if it helps you remember) and then just do it.
Here’s why ...
You know how when you buy a new car you suddenly start noticing cars just like yours on the road? Or, when you found out your were expecting a baby, all of a sudden babies were everywhere? That’s your reticular activating system (RAS) at work. It’s your brain’s way of filtering information so you only have to deal with the stuff that’s relevant or interesting to you.
It also means that the more your start looking for the things in your day to smile about, the more your brain will help you out by bringing those things to your attention.
So, set a timer on your phone and every hour, on the hour, look for something delightful. Before you know it you’ll be doing it without even having to think about it!
What's a favorite quote you like?
“Every day may not be wonderful, but there’s something wonderful in every day.”
| What have you got going on? I’m on a crusade to help people lighten up and smile more while being 100% unapologetically themselves. What this looks like is daily inspiration via email and on my Facebook page and twice monthly “El Post." All this while at the same time, writing my first novel for Kindle (it’s not the first novel I ever wrote but it’s the first one to make it out into the world!) |  |
It’s about an artist who, after the funeral of her best friend, gets on a train in South Wales and buys a ticket for the first town the conductor sees beginning with the letter ‘T’. It’s a coming of age love story which lets me play with happy endings on a new stage and I can’t wait to share it!
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