Smile, It’s Gratitude Month! 😊
Happy August! This month, we’re focusing on something simple, sweet, and scientifically powerful: gratitude. It's more than a feel-good buzzword. Gratitude is a practice, and it’s one with enormous health benefits. Studies show that people who consistently express gratitude feel more alive, sleep better, have stronger immune systems, experience more joy, and even show more kindness and compassion. That’s quite the list. Honestly, who wouldn’t want in on that?
So here’s what I’m proposing: let’s play. Not just any game, how about a gratitude game. This month, we’re challenging ourselves to notice new things around us. Every day. We’re making gratitude a living, breathing practice, not a bullet point on a to-do list.
And we’re starting super simple: with a smile. 😁
Yes, smile therapy is a thing. Turns out, smiling has the power to shift your entire chemistry. It relieves stress, lowers blood pressure, boosts your immune system, and makes you more attractive to others (yep, science says so). One U.K. study even found that smiling produces the same level of brain stimulation as eating 2,000 chocolate bars. Now, I love a good square of chocolate, but that’s some next-level serotonin.
This week’s challenge is all about that smile.
I want you to say hello to everyone you see. Yes, everyone. Do it with a smile. Watch what happens. Feel how it shifts your energy. Pay attention to how others respond. You might notice a moment of connection that would’ve otherwise been missed. You might feel lighter, more open, more alive.
And here’s the deeper layer: while you’re at it, check in with your mind. Is it present? Are you connected to this moment? That’s where the real magic begins. Because when you’re smiling, engaging, and showing up intentionally, you’re doing more than changing your mood. You’re rewiring your habits.
This is a core part of the Kim Shapira Method, reminding ourselves that food is just one part of the equation. Nourishment comes in many forms, and this week, joy and connection are your main ingredients. Smiling is medicine. Gratitude is medicine. And when we show up with both, we remember that we're more than what we eat. We’re how we feel, how we love, how we live.
So go out and shine that smile. Say hi. Connect.
Let’s start the month feeling grateful and lit up from the inside out.
With a big smile,
Kim 💖
