You Need a Smile File

Last week I received a lovely email from a woman who participated in my webinar. She let me know that the content I shared made a big impact on her and she’s looking forward to putting the concepts to work in her life.

Today, as I was feeling low and lacking motivation, I re-read that email. It literally turned my day around and got me thinking about the wisdom of collecting these little notes as they come my way. I was inspired to create my very own Smile File.

What’s a Smile File? It’s your personal collection of reminders that you are making a difference. Using a Smile File is a simple two-part process.

Step One: Set up a collection point and start dropping in any and all affirming messages as they come your way.

Step Two: Refer to the Smile File regularly.

When your boss sends an email letting you know you did a great job on your presentation, that goes into the Smile File. When your kid leaves a post-it note thanking you for ferrying her and her friends all over town, snap a photo and drop it into the Smile File. When your client leaves a voicemail expressing his gratitude for your extra-mile efforts, jot down the key sentences and stash it in the Smile File.

The contents of your Smile File might seem insignificant when viewed one at a time. The magic happens when you build a collection of these small reminders. When viewed as a whole, these messages provide powerful evidence that you are doing good work. This is particularly helpful when your inner critic is on overdrive and you’re having one of those “what’s the point” days.

Start today by setting up a folder for your Smile File collection. I prefer a digital system, but a physical folder could be a great solution, depending on your preferences. The most important thing is that you actually use the Smile File to collect and then refer to these reminders when you need a pick-me-up.

Have fun and keep smiling!