A smile is one of the most simple, inexpensive and wonderful things in the world.
Still, often we forget about this one powerful action while we get lost in the details of today and tomorrow. We feel tired and we got too much to do at work and we got to pay the bills and why did I get the grumpiest cashier at the supermarket.
Here are 5 reasons why smiling as often as you can will put more positivity into your life.
1. You will get a boost of happiness – try forcing yourself to smile for thirty seconds right now. The great feelings that make you smile works in reverse too. By making yourself smile, no matter how you feel, your body will start to release all those wonderful chemicals that makes you feel happy. Try it right now and feel the difference.
2. A smile changes your state – if you feel frustrated, angry or bored a smile changes your emotional state. And a positive state is not just more fun but also opens up to other possibilities in your mind. You will see the world differently through a happier lens. And then you can start building on that to have a string of positive actions and interactions with other people throughout the day.
3. A smile changes other people’s state – walking into a room or up to the counter in a store with a smile on your face can make a world of difference. People will smile back at you and be more helpful and any social tension or awkwardness will melt away. And your interactions will be more open, relaxed and filled with fun and possibilities.
4. Well, why shouldn’t you smile? – when choosing between a frown, a blank expression or a smile the last choice seems to be the most productive and positive choice, doesn’t it? Sure, often you will forget to smile or maybe you just don’t feel like it. But if you try to remember it and use it more often you will soon develop a new habit.
5. It’s easier to smile than doing the opposite – you actually use less muscles while smiling than while frowning or making an angry face. Well, that’s probably what you have heard at least. Barbara Mikkelson over at Urban Legends Reference Pages reaches a more uncertain conclusion. But still, if you start smiling more your smiling muscles will soon become stronger than your frowning muscles. And it will become easier and easier to smile than doing the opposite.
Henrik Edberg is the creator of the Positivity Blog and has written weekly articles here since 2006. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Gothenburg and has been featured on Lifehacker, HuffPost and Paulo Coelho’s blog.
Comments on this entry are closed.
i think that these are all good reasons why to smile more often
i am a high school senior writing a persuasive speach on why to smile more often thank you
Smiling helps your attitude! Its easy try it!
smile is a contagious disease. it will spread when we start smiling.so smile aiways.
I DIG SMILING, IT”S MY LIFE :D
Dude, I love your website. It has the best content of any self-improvement blog I’ve read. As to this article about smiling, it’s ironic given that in your profile picture you are not smiling at all and in fact look somber or sad. But maybe on a blog about positivity, irony was what you were going for. Anyway, I have read dozens of your articles since I found your website a couple of weeks ago, and they are literally helping me to change my life! By God’s grace. Peace to you, Henrik.
Good stuff.
hELLO i LOVE YOUR WEBSITE ITS KOOL!!!
A ‘Natural’ smile automatically disappears from our face after our kid-hood. Then it becomes conditional and selective. Which is why, all the odds (Wars, Breakups, Diseases) are hitting headlines everyday.
Truly, if we honestly learn to smile 20 mins. a day, the world will become a better place to live in, to be proud about.