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The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education
Patton Hall
100 East Union St.
Athens, OH 45701-2979

The Power of a Smile

by Dr. Tamarine Foreman
August 2025

Welcome to August! As we near fall semester, I wanted to take a moment to say “hello”. I hope all of you have had time to rest and reset, time to free yourself from your work, and time to connect with those who matter most.

I look forward to Patton being filled with faculty, staff, and students. As you prepare to return and continue, take a moment to smile from the inside out. According to an episode of the podcast, “a soft smile and a few minutes of minutes of breath can shift your mood, lower stress, and deepen your sense of connection.”

I encourage you to try this by doing the following*:

1. Settle In: Find a comfortable seat, rest your hands gently, and soften your gaze or close your eyes.
2. Breathe and Soften: Take a few slow, deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth, relaxing your face, jaw, and neck.
3. Form a Gentle Smile: Let a soft, effortless smile form at the corners of your mouth. Think of something or someone that makes you smile.
4. Turn the Smile Inward: Imagine that smile radiating inside your body, through your face, throat, and chest.
5. Send the Smile Through Your Body: With each breath, guide the smile to your heart, lungs, digestive system, and spine, acknowledging and appreciating each part.
6. Close Gently: Let the smile spread throughout your whole body, take one final deep breath, and slowly open your eyes, carrying the smile into the rest of your day.

* As described on the webpage,

I look forward to connecting with you in August. Thanks for making Patton a space to connect and thrive—together.

Enjoy your summer!

Kindly,
Tamarine

Tamarine Foreman, PhD, LPCC-S
Associate Dean of Faculty Development & Community Wellbeing