life

This is a fun post about smiling. Why fun? Well let’s face it, when we’re smiling we are normally having a pretty good time!
If you were to ask someone who knows me to describe who I am, undoubtedly one of the first things that they will say is that I am a continually happy or ‘smiley’ person. This is something that I always laugh about as it has been mentioned many times throughout my life! The good thing is I’m not complaining as a smile has a tonne of benefits to your overall wellbeing.

Smiling is number 2 on the list of the 43 Habits of Absolutely Happy People. If you can turn smiling into a habit, then you can turn happiness into a habit… let’s explore!

1. You’re More Attractive!
   Do you want to be more attractive? Simple. Smile! Research has proven that we find others more attractive when they are wearing a smile. This one is a no-brainer, but for the sake of helping it land in your mind, think about someone who you know and think of first when they are down, sad, angry, frustrated, whatever it may be. How attractive are they? Now picture them simply with a smile on their face. What does this do to their attractiveness? If you took the time to do this exercise, I’m sure you would have easily found the smiling version much more attractive, and maybe this even made you feel a happy tingle inside yourself! This leads to my next point.

1. You Can CHANGE THE WORLD! A Smile is Contagious!
   Have you ever been in a sour mood and then someone has come along with a huge smile, some laughter or in a really good mood? Perhaps a baby that just looked up at you and smiled? How did this make you feel? When the person you are talking to or the people that surround you are smiling, you won’t be able to help but smile!

A smile has special powers. You can calm fear, insecurity, hurt and anxiety not only in yourself, but in those that are experiencing those feelings. The next time someone is feeling sad, scared, nervous, whatever it may be, smile with them and see how this makes them feel!

Even 2Pac, the rap legend that passed away realised the benefits of smiling, in his lyrics to ‘Power of a Smile’ he raps:
The power of a gun can kill, and the power of fire can burn
The power of wind can chill, and the power of mind can learn
The power of anger, can raise inside until it tears you apart
But the power of a smile, especially yours, can heal a frozen heart