S – Always Smile

“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.”

Opening Story:

The Remarkable Power of A Smile

 

Marie loves smiling. It was something she did a lot. As long as her eyes met yours, she would smile and that was all it was. She had moved from France to Singapore, a country where strangers preferred avoiding eye contact with each other, let alone smile at each other. But that never stopped Marie from continuing her habit of smiling at strangers.

 

One day, when passing by the grocery store below her flat, she noticed a small-built man in the store. Naturally, she gave the man a friendly smile, just as she had so many times before to strangers who never returned her smile.

 

Only this time, the man smiled back. A big genuine smile no less.

 

He said something in a foreign language that Marie couldn’t understand. She simply smiled back, happy that somebody had acknowledged her smile.

 

What started with a smile soon developed into a distinct friendship between two strangers who spoke different languages, and didn’t even know each other’s names. The man started waving and greeting her every time she left her house or came home from work. He started adding more chillies into her bag every time she bought groceries. He offered her mints, helped her when she was looking for extra cartons.

 

And of course, he always had a great big smile to return Marie’s smile. Even though they could barely communicate, these small gestures were his way of showing his care for her, and how happy he was every time they could meet and interact. The others people at the store also started saying hello and became much warmer whenever Marie was around. It was so nice to always be greeted by a “Hello” in the morning and a wave in the evening by strangers you see every day.

 

That very first smile changed the daily routine of that little grocer, the other staff at the grocery store, and Marie’s own.

 

Sometimes, it doesn’t take grandiose acts to display kindness to strangers. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple smile.

 

And how amazingly powerful a smile can be!

Whether between spouses, friends, coworkers, or business acquaintances, if there is a history of mutual respect and sincere gratitude, the people involved are generally happier and more successful.

Mother Teresa once said “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.” We have been smiling all our lives. And to some degree, we already possess the inherent knowledge that smiling not only feels good but it actually does good too.

Yet many of us shy from smiling as often as we ought to. I’m not the one to judge; we all have our own problems to deal with in life. But way too often, we actually punish ourselves by choosing not to smile when we really should be smiling our brains off!

So, the next time you get the opportunity to smile, just smile, and enjoy all that positivity it spawns. If you’re not convinced, well here below are reasons you should be.

1. Smiling makes you look attractive.

Your smile says a great deal about you. It really is true. Not convinced? Try this. Try to think of some of the people you’re attracted to. Done? How many of those were actually smiling? Well, you don’t have to tell me because I already know the answer.

We are naturally hardwired to be attracted to people who smile. Something about seeing someone smile builds up all this positive energy in our minds. And every time we see them, we associate them with all that positive energy.

So, the next time you’re around a bunch of friends or strangers (it really doesn’t matter) and you want to attract attention, just smile.

2. Smiling makes you happier.

Now this is as true as it is strange. Smiling actually makes you, the person smiling, happier regardless of the situation. Normally we are hardwired to smile only during pleasant situations.

The brain in turn releases endorphins which lowers stress and improves your overall mood, hence making the situation pleasant. But it being a voluntary action, we can actually trick the brain into believing that an otherwise dull situation is actually pleasant by simply smiling.

So the next time you’re bored, or god forbid sad, try this — kick back, take a few deep breaths and smile. Just smile, and watch your brain work its magic!

3. Smiling improves your immune system.

It has been reported that when you’re smiling, the body releases more white blood cells than it usually does. And the prime purpose of white blood cells are to protect the body against both infectious diseases and foreign invaders.

So, smiling more often actually makes your body more immune to diseases and hence makes you healthier. In fact, that is the prime reason why so many famous celebrities are invited to children’s hospitals. If they can get the children to smile, that will, to some degree, boost their overall health.

So with this in mind, don’t just go smiling on your own from now on. Make others smile too!

4. Smiling makes you a better leader.

Smiling encourages trust. We can all agree to that. A person who is constantly smiling appears more trustful than someone who is not. And what more do we look for in a great leader than trust?

Take a look at all the popular leaders of the world. I don’t say the great leaders, because not all of them may be popular. But the popular ones, who are also the more successful, smile more often than others.

This is true for leadership in all levels. Fear and intimidation may work like a charm for a while, but they never last long. The leaders who truly make a mark in history are the ones that smile.

5. Smiling helps you make a better impression.

Have you ever been in a room with strangers and struggled to socialize to the extent you wish you could? Wouldn’t you in turn want to be that person who can get along with everyone in the room in a jiffy?

Well, if you look at the people who can actually do this, you will find that the key to their success is, you guessed it, smiling. Yes, they’re smiling more than you are. But guess what? Their personality is no match for yours. Put on more smiles, and you’ll be sweeping all the charm towards your direction in no time!

After a while, they put their phones down, and you’re ready to approach them. Which of the two would you go to, or at least go to first? Once again, I know the answer.

There is something about smiling that attracts trust. It makes the person wearing the smile appear warm and kind. The very qualities that make one approachable.

Tips for Training Yourself to Smile More

We’ve all heard about the importance of smiling each day. In fact, even a forced smile can have a positive impact on a person’s mood. In tests, those who smiled exhibited lower heart rate than those who maintained a neutral expression.

But you don’t have to force a smile to put yourself in a good mood each day. There are things you can do that will both create a natural smile and improve the overall quality of your life. Here are 5 ways to make yourself smile every day.

1. Start your day with nature.

Studies have found that exposure to sunlight naturally boosts a person’s mood, so consider taking your cup of coffee out on the deck. Instead of checking emails on your phone, spend time appreciating the scenery in front of you. You’ll likely find it naturally brings a smile to your face.

2. Hit the gym.

Whether you wake up a half an hour earlier or take a break at lunch, the endorphins released by exercising can lift your spirits immediately. If the gym is out of the question, take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk to your morning meeting.

3. Visit the office humorist.

Every office has one. Make a stop by your funniest co-worker’s office when you need your spirits lifted. A five-minute conversation can make all the difference.

4. Do one nice thing for yourself.

Often, we spend so much time taking care of things for others that we forget to help ourselves. Do little things for yourself, like grabbing your favorite cup of coffee on the way into work or reading a good book at lunch.

5. Do something nice for someone else.

People who do volunteer work have been found to be happier than those who don’t. Even if you don’t have time to perform charity work regularly, though, you can improve your overall quality of life by doing little things for other people.