Most times strangers form the best relationship with you. People you do not know from anywhere and there wasn’t anyone introducing you both to yourselves. If there is one thing I do is keep to myself whenever I am in public, I either try pressing my phone even if I know I am not pressing anything or try listening to the person talking if I am in a seminar.
Before now I rarely smiled, I could say hi to you with a stern look, few times I have had my parents ask me if I am fighting with unseen forces. How do I always have a frown on my face, according to my dad I was unapproachable. I think he was right because people rarely talk to me. Most times when they complain I ask them if I should be walking around smiling, I might come off as a mad person to most people.
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I was waiting for a class on this day and then he walked up to me to ask if the seat next to me was free, I just turned and said “Yes”. As usual, I was going through my phone and then I saw something that made me laugh. “You should smile more, you have a nice smile,” he said to me. I looked at him and smiled then I said “sure”.
I haven’t had anyone say I have a nice smile maybe it is because I rarely smile and I seem pretty grumpy. At some point whenever he sees me he just has to call me “Squidward”, the grumpy character In the SpongeBob cartoon. I knew it was because I always seem grumpy but I think it made me smile. When we became friends he explained to me that smiling at people could make the next person feel comfortable and let out a smile as well and advised me to smile more so people could be comfortable around me.
This feels like it is non-important but then I noticed that when I smile at people whenever I say Hi or greet them. They let out a smile too. This made lots of people so comfortable with me. During my project defense, I walked into the office where my external supervisor was. The first thing I did was greet him while smiling, he smiled back at me while responding to my greeting. That action alone made me so comfortable throughout the process.
I realized that just smiling has a positive impact on one’s relationship with people and it can create an approachable effect. Just that advice I got from a stranger who is my friend now, helped sharpen my mentality and expression and I am thankful that I got to meet him that day. Right now, the first thing you will notice if you get to meet me is that I always smile. You could even tell with the way I communicate.
According to Anthony J. D’Angelo
Smile is the Key that fits the lock of everybody’s heart.
All images used are mine except otherwise stated
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