As a small boy I came to the conclusion that smiling was a sign of weakness: tough guys don't smile.  Whether or not this had to do with watching movies or how my aggressive father maneuvered through life doesn't matter.  What matters is that I believed it.  "You'll lose respect if you smile," was one of the predominant thoughts in my head.  The other was the dread of being confronted by, "What the f**k are you smiling at?"

Living by this belief was exhausting, because without realizing it I was swimming against the stream of life.  The stream that nourishes and protects.  Today it's obvious that my thinking was backwards.  A smile is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of confidence. 

It takes guts to step boldly past the distorted thoughts of fear and risk Sbeing judged.  But every time I do I feel rejuvenated.  I'm able to move through situations with ease attracting wonderful coincidences that renew my faith that Life really is tilted in our favor. 

*Listen to our podcast  If You Feel Like a Twisted Sister, It's Time to Be a Nonresister to hear more examples of the prospering benefits of nonresistance.