Fake it 'til you make it...

That's a phrase I've been known to use when supporting parents trying to build attachment with newly placed children.

When you're exhausted and don't think you can keep on going....fake it 'til you make it.

When you're discouraged and feeling like you will never have a healthy attachment with your child....fake it 'til you make it.

When you don't think you can make it through another IEP or parent/teacher interview....fake it 'til t you make it.

When you're trying to have fun with your kids at the park and all you can think of is how you should be home cleaning up/paying bills/making homemade something or other instead of using store bought....fake it 'til you make it.

And before you know it, you may just be having fun with your kids.

There is lots of research out there that shows by "pretending" to enjoy what we're doing our bodies still reap the benefits of stress-reducing smiling and laughter. Apparently our body does't know that we're actually faking it and our stress levels decrease.

Here's an interesting YouTube video by John Cleese on Laughter Yoga.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEfjVnYkqM&feature=player_embedded