The Power of a Smile

A smile is so simple but it can mean so much to both yourself and to others. It can light up a room and make others feel they have found a friend.

Smiles show pleasure, happiness, amusement and humor. But smiles are also welcoming and friendly. Some smiles touch only the mouth but a sincere smile will reach the eyes.

When we smile we are more attractive and we stand out from those who are not smiling. It reduces our stress level and improves our health. Others are attracted and drawn to those who smile. Smiling elevates our moods, boosts our immune system, lowers our blood pressure, releases endorphins within our bodies, makes us look younger and helps us to stay positive. Smiling makes us more approachable and more optimistic. Smiles, like laughter, are contagious.

A smile can mean the world to a lonely person, to one with low self-esteem or little confidence and to someone who is feeling sad or depressed. A smile is powerful. It can make someone else feel happier and feel good about themselves. You can smile at strangers you meet on transit, while shopping, when you visit the doctor or dentist or anywhere else you go.

To encourage your own smiles, think about the things that make you smile. Are they the antics of your children, the laughter of your grandchildren, a wink from your spouse, rocky road ice cream, sushi, dancing with someone special, the sun shining, a rainbow, crocuses poking their heads above the earth in early spring, a dog wagging its tail or a job well done?

The expression, fake it until you make it, could also apply to smiling. If you don't feel like smiling, smile anyway. But the more we smile, the more we feel that we genuinely want to smile. And the more we smile, the better we feel. The better we feel, the better those around us will feel. Therefore, it's easy to see that our smiles can create a domino effect.

Smiling also leads to thinking positively and a smile is a short hop away from laughter. Laughing is good for the heart, and like a smile is a pain and stress reliever. It is beneficial to the lungs, boosts immunity and because it is energizing, it can burn calories. Optimists smile more often than do pessimists. And optimists have better health. According to a recent study, a smile gives the same level of stimulation as eating 2,000 chocolate bars but is much better for the waistline. And when we smile, our voices sound warmer and more welcoming, making us more approachable.

A smile is recognized the world over and often no words are necessary when a person smiles in friendship. When you go about your day, remember the power of a smile.