Last week I was visiting hanging with my niece and she was showing me how to make Avitars on this computer program she has at school. She said she would make one for me. We picked the face shape, hair colour, eye colour, etc. When it came time to pick facial features, she picked this ‘crinkle’ that is on your forehead. She said I had one on my forehead. I was mortified. I can’t possible have that line? Or can I?

Cross your arms, yes, right now stop and cross your arms. What message would you be sending to someone that you may be sitting with right now? Are you bored? Angry? Frustrated? Think about that for a minute.

Now look down at your legs. Are they crossed? Are you shaking your leg because you are restless and bored? Nervous?

Internally, you know how you are feeling, but how are other seeing and perceiving your actions? A lot of the time, I am sure that the people around you get it wrong.

Now, think about your face. You can’t “see” your face. Everyone else can see your face except for you. That is why it is very important to know how you are feeling on the inside because it will most likely be your image on your face.

When was the last time you rolled your eyes? You probably can’t remember even doing that, but I am sure the person you are walking with can. I am sure that you both saw the same person in line at Starbucks, walking through the mall, talking very loudly on their cell phone in a public place. You can’t see your face, but everyone else can see your expressions good or bad.

I worked in several different call centres over the years. I have worked in a cubicle, at home alone, and in a store front location. I have attended countless sales seminars and do you know what almost all the trainers say it is a must for a call centre employee to have at their desk? One word – a MIRROR. They tell you to look in the mirror and smile back at yourself as you are talking to clients on the phone. People can hear you smiling. Trust me they can.

And they can also hear when you are not smiling. When you have not had your morning coffee yet. When you have had a fight with a friend, spouse, parent, child and are still carrying around your anger. When you are worried about sick family member, friend or pet.

All of these emotions, thoughts, feelings are all expressed on our faces. I am sure there is some scientific experiment that has calculated how many different facial expressions we do on a daily basis.

The message tonight is simple. This evening I came face to face with someone that I was not expecting to see. For a brief moment I am sure if I could see my face it would have been white and mortified. After the interaction I am sure I was smiling. Smiling because I knew that I took the higher ground and was proud for doing so.

Tonight when you are brushing your teeth before bed, look at your face in the mirror. What will others see in your face? What do you see? Make an effort tomorrow to think about what your face looks like a couple of times during the day. If you think it isn’t the way you think you want it to be, change it. You have control over it. Total control.

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror.
I’m asking him to change his ways.
No message could have been any clearer.
If you wanna make the world a better place,
Take A Look At Yourself, and then make a change.”