The later of these two responses reminds me of a fairly well known poem -
Smiling Is Infectious
Author Unknown
Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I'd passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.
So, if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected.
Let's start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!
So what is it about smiles that changes how we feel?
A smile is similar to a hug which I wrote about last month, in that it increases the feeling of well-being and happiness, lowers blood pressure, builds trust and empathy, reduces stress and anxiety, boots your immune system, reduces stress, helps relax muscles and relieves pain.
A smile also:
- Makes you look more attractive and are more likely to be drawn to you than if you don’t smile.
- Makes you more approachable and people are more willing to engage socially with you.
- Makes you feel more comfortable in circumstances where you would normally feel uncomfortable.
- Increases your attention span and helps you to work harder by reducing stress.
- Makes you look about 3 years younger and increases your life span by about 7 years.
- Is highly contagious! Around 50% of people who receive a smile usually smile back which often broadens the smile of the giver.
Even better news is that a fake smile is just as good as a happy one. How do you smile when you are upset, crying or just down in the dumps? Very easily if you have a straight pencil, pen or something similar. Simply place the straight round object – say pencil, sideways towards the back of your mouth with the ends sticking out each side. Now hold onto it with your lips. That’s it! Why not give it a go now and have a look in a mirror.
Some ways you can increase the number of times you smile in a day is by watching funny movies, or TV; do activities that make you happy and smile; spend time with family and friends who make you feel happy; be thankful for what you have and enjoy the beauty of nature; and if all else fails – fake it!
So the next time you are out and about why not start an major infection of smiling by giving them out to people you meet. You might be surprised how many you get back and how good it makes you feel.
Until next time – remember, safety first!