Quick! What are the first thoughts that come to mind when you see the phrase, “fake it till you make it”? Believe it or not, I like this saying but there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. When I searched this phrase in google, I found a lot of opinions about “fake it till you make it”. I thought about digging deep into the research and picking a side. But no, I am deciding to stick with my original belief and advocate for the phrase, “fake it till you make it”.

Now for the boring part, let’s get into the science behind “fake it till you make it”. I’m going to throw another phrase out to you. “Turn that frown upside down!” Cliche and cheesy, right? Well let’s think about it. If I turn my frown upside down, what happens? I release neurotransmitters called endorphins. The result of endorphins is increased happiness brought on by feelings of ease, joy and positivity. So if I “fake it till I make it” and put on a smile even when I’m sad, I may begin feeling happy? Sounds skeptic doesn’t it. Try it on! Wear a smile and see how you feel!

I was recently talking to my oldest brother, John. Wow, he is always such an inspiring person to talk to because he has such strong emotional intelligence and empathy. Well he helped me remember that there is good and evil in this world and we have the choice on which one we focus on. John stated, “How can you stop and smell the roses when you don’t know roses aren’t supposed to smell like a pile of garbage?” In the midst of evil, garbage, bad days, sadness and turmoil, we need more than ever to choose happiness. And so, that is when I “fake it till I make it”. If I wear a smile, talk in affirmations and stop to smell the roses, I might just start feeling some happiness.

As a DBT and CBT therapist, I recommend phrases like “fake it till you make it”. What’s the worst that can happen? The answer is, you’ll end up back where you started. The best case scenario is that you end up changing an uncomfortable emotion into an emotion you enjoy. Check out the DBT Skill Opposite Action for another strategy on this topic. And if you need another pick me up, check out this new affirmation!