The Power of Smiling

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring — all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo F. Buscaglia.

How often have you had one of those days where everything just seems to not be going your way?  You’re walking down the street, feeling kinda sad…but then someone smiles at you and you start to feel a little bit better. It’s amazing how that works.  That’s right — my 60 second idea to improve the world is as simple as this: SMILE!

There is a real power associated with smiles, and it’s something I think we take for granted too often.  Smiling is one of the easiest and quickest things someone can do to not only make themselves feel better, but to also make others feel better.  That’s right: it has actually been proven that smiling can make you and others around you happier.  According to an article about smiling, even when we fake a smile, our body releases the “happy” hormones serotonin and dopamine, which instantly lift our mood. Another one of the greatest things about smiles is that they are contagious, meaning it’s likely that if you smile at someone, they’re more likely to smile at another person.  In addition to being infectious, smiling also makes any person seem more attractive, approachable, and friendly. Studies even show that people who smile are more likely to be remembered than a person who doesn’t smile.

So go ahead, start smiling — you will not only feel better, but you will look better. Smiling costs nothing, but it can be worth a million bucks to someone who is having an off day.  Make that difference in someone’s life.