Acting is magical. Change your look and your attitude, and you can be anyone.

Today's quote is attributed to Alicia Witt. It reminds me this morning of what we already instinctively know, but often choose to ignore. How we act and the attitude who choose to adopt creates who we are.  It's easier, of course, to believe that our life circumstances create our thoughts and emotions and make us who we ultimately become. But, it isn't true.

Each of us chooses how we react to the people and events around us. We choose what we feel and think and how we act. It's the acting that I want to focus on today.

The simple act of putting a smile on your face brings about emotional, psychological and physical changes in your body, says Psychology Today. In short, it releases neurotransmitters like dopamine, endorphins and serotonin that immediately go to work to increase feelings of happiness, reduce stress, lower blood pressure and relieve pain.

The important part here is that the smile comes first and the positive effects follow. In short, when you act happy, you release the very thing your body needs to feel happy. You create your own happiness through your actions.

If you are in the habit of waiting until you feel happy and uplifted before your act, you have been sabotaging yourself. For today, practice greeting the world with a smile and acting happy (even if you don't feel it, yet) and watch as your day suddenly turns around.

Today I am grateful for the bright October sun, for wind chimes that tinkle outside my door and blue jays. I am grateful for crisp fall air that slowly makes way for warm autumn days. I am grateful for the light of the moon and stars when night draws near.

I am grateful for the little children who have returned to school and who work diligently to learn what they need to know, for teachers who practice great patience and for parents who show love and concern.

I am grateful for my health, my ability to work and earn a living and for my willingness to learn and grow along the way. I am grateful for houseplants that bring new life inside the home and for the animals of the forest as they prepare for the winter that lies ahead.

I am grateful for my children who always make me proud, for my siblings who have always been there and for my husband who helps me weather the storms. I am grateful for parents who brought me into this world that I am live with joy.

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop and share my day. May you put a smile upon your face today and experience great joy throughout the day.