“the expression one wears on one’s face is far more important than the clothes one wears on one’s back.” – Dale Carnegie

 

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.

 

2) 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

A smile is a contagious thing. Give to the world and the world will give back to you. Smile at the world and the world will smile back at you. You will brighten the days of those around and make a difference in their lives… simply by smiling!

3) Grow Old Sexily!

Wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles! Something that we all don’t want to have, however it is something that comes to us all leaving permanent marks of our emotional feelings throughout life. Smiling throughout life will NOT mean you won’t get wrinkles… I wish it did! It WILL however mean that you will have permanent marks of happiness and when you speak with those later in life, you will automatically be smiling!

You also use fewer muscles to smile than you do for frowning. Hopefully you’re smiling now as you read this, but if not, smile now! … Now that you have tried smiling, try and frown. Which one do you think is easier? I would definitely say smiling is the easier of the two, and therefore stretching your muscles and skin less throughout life to grow old sexily!

 

4) Simply Feel Good!

When you’re smiling, no doubt you’re having a much better time than when you’re not! Smiling simply makes you feel better!

Research has shown that smiling releases serotonin – a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of happiness and wellbeing. It’s like a circle of happiness. Smile and you feel happy, you feel happy and you smile! Even when you’re not feeling great, try smiling, genuinely, and see how you feel!

 

5) Build Better, Faster Relationships!

Smiling is such a key ingredient for establishing healthy and genuine friendships. When someone is smiling at you it indicates that they like you. When someone likes you what do you think of them? Yep, normally you’re thinking “wow, I like this person!” Smiling also offers encouragement to the person that you are talking to. Think about it, if someone is smiling at you while you are talking to them, you feel as though they are totally into what you are saying, encouraging you to keep going!

Smiling is crucial when it comes to first impressions. Smiling when you first meet someone will indicate to the other person that you are genuinely happy to see them and that you are a positive person. These impressions will be lasting on the other person so definitely not one to miss!

 

6) Enhance your Business!

Business deals can be made simply through smiling. One of the first things that sales people quickly learn is to smile. Who would you rather buy something from? The sales rep that looks bored, down, angry, frustrated or whatever it may be, or from the sales rep that is simply smiling and happy to see you? The messages that they convey in conversation will link back to how they are feeling. A smiling person would be much more enthusiastic for the product and instil positive feelings in the buyer.

Even telesales have got a hold on this. Now sales reps that are on the other side of the phone are encouraged to smile when they talk as the smile is conveyed in how the person is talking!

Want to get CLARITY on your direction in life?
Download the first 4 modules of the Launch Your Life Academy completely free.
The Launch Your Life Academy is a comprehensive training  course with tools and templates that will guide you through creating your master life plan.
This FREE training will help you get clear, get motivated, and get started doing what you love.
Access the first 4 modules by clicking here.

 

Action Plan

1) Smile!

It can’t be that hard, can it?

 

2) Visualise your happiest moments

A number of people will say that they find it hard to smile due to circumstances in their life. Research has shown that our thoughts and feelings influence our behaviours. As this is the case, I encourage you to close your eyes and think of the moments that have made you laugh and smile. How does this make you feel? These visualization exercises are great for helping you smile.

 

3) Just do it!

Further research has now flipped the above completely on its head and suggested that our behaviours can actually influence our thoughts and feelings! As this is the case, I encourage you to JUST DO IT! Simply forcing a smile will give you the benefits of the above. Stand up straight, work on your posture, smile to the world and ‘fake it till you make it’! It WILL work!

Check out this fantastic video on TED, spoken by Ron Gutman who provides some fascinating insights into the power of smiling!


Are you a smiler? When you are down, have you tried ‘forcing’ a smile to change your feelings? Did it work? Have you made a positive impact on another person by smiling at them? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

P.S. Incase you missed it, I have an article on Lifehack which has been the most viewed in the past week. Check it out here and let me know your thoughts!

 

 

 

About the author 

Brendan Baker

Brendan Baker is Australia's leading personal development blogger and and helps people build and grow online businesses based on their passions. He has created the Launch Your Life Academy and Your First 1000 Subscribers. Connect with Brendan: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

Brendan Baker is Australia's leading personal development blogger and and helps people build and grow online businesses based on their passions. He has created the Launch Your Life Academy and Your First 1000 Subscribers. Connect with Brendan: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

  1. A smile can suppress the greatest of authorities under your will. Simply due to its undeniably overwhelming power. Thus, making you an overpoweringly attractive being.

    The continous practice of this concept of consistently smiling has brought me a long way. Although, i almost forgot about it for a while due to certain happenings. But thank goodness i found your post just in time. It has done a splendid job of remindering me of a number of my success tools.

    Stay Blessed.

  2. I once tried smiling crazily(I ean really often). and you know what, about several days later people say that I look beautiful even I dont smile at that time when they were talking to me. it means smile can permanently beautify

  3. Meshack eshack Mayunga says:

    I used to smile with no reason and l found myself happy, till now it helps me interact with strangers and make them feel as I’m familiar of them. Thanks much bro from the new feeds in your article i need to prove them

  4. Hi Brendan, a great article on the benefits of smiling. Someone once said a “smile is the only thing that has value when its given away” and I actually agreed with that. But then I discovered that the act of smiling releases endorphins in your brain which lightens your mood and also has health benefits. And as you’ve just pointed out, there are many more benefits including, you’re seen as more attractive by those you come into contact with.

    Great blog, keep it coming…

  5. Smiling in the animal world is a sign of aggression but I also thing engagement and acceptance or the start of it. My drivers license used to look like the unabomber photo but then I thought of my wealthy aunt that always smiled. Also, I thought of the people, bosses and directors, in the newspaper that always seemed to be smiling. I also think of Jewel and Tom Cruise and how they used to have crooked teeth. I always think of the large boned Queen Latifah and her permanent smile. It could be psychosomatic or Neoro programming. Best wishes. Laugh lines are com

  6. i dont even know where to start from. smiling has always been my asset. i dont know what happened to me that i decided to google the power of smile. i do laugh a lot too. some people think im crazy some dont seem to understand but im cool with it.. it makes me feel younger at times

  7. I like this article. This is not an easy do but worth.
    Don’t need something big to make a big change. Just smile…

  8. Hi,
    Everyone I dated in the past left me, because I smile too much. so, you could guess that they stole smile from my face.

  9. I got this web page from my buddy who shared with me on the topic of this site and now this time I am visiting this
    website and reading very informative articles at this place.

    Feel free to visit my blog Kasy fiskalne – o czym pamiętać przy wyborze?
    (Leatha)

  10. Loved this article! I always try to smile at people even if I only get strange looks in return lol.

  11. Why people still use to read news papers when in this technological globe all is presented on net?

  12. Love your article!
    Did you know that research has shown that smiling actually releases chemical hormones that make us feel better?
    For those who have trouble forcing themselves to smile, another idea is to watch the silliest youtube.com video they can find. After a few minutes it will be much easier to crack a smile!

  13. Absolutely love it and completely agree. When you are feeling down, smile, it will completely change your state and put your life and life situation into perspective. Smiling rocks!

    1. haha, love it Mark!!

      Agree that it helps put things into perspective as well… sometimes people feel unhappy for no reason!

      SMILING ROCKS!

  14. I know that smiling can make you feel better. And I know that it’s something you should do when you’re down.
    But gosh darn it, sometimes I just don’t want to feel better. It makes me feel that, if all it took was a smile to make me feel better, than apparently I had no business being upset in the first place.
    I will admit that sometimes I like to be in the dark about that fact. I’m not proud of it. But I’m aware of it, and I’ll try to smile more often on purpose.

    1. Hehe, love it Liz! Very true…

      Despite what I’m talking about through this site and in the post above, I actually do believe that it is HEALTHY to be down or sad at times and to feel the emotions. You need to feel this in order to appreciate happiness. The key is to be able to manage your emotions and ensure that feeling down is not a lingering feeling!

      You have the choice to make that change.

  15. Natalie Field says:

    I’ve tried forcing smiles when I’m down… I must admit that it feels really strange and stupid, because I don’t want to be doing it, but you’re right. It does make a difference 🙂

    1. hehe, no doubt about it, Nat!

      It’s awesome that your behaviours can influence your mood… it IS hard work at first because you are going completely against what your subconcious thoughts are telling you to do, however it as you start to change your behaviour you start to feel the shift in mood, continually making it easier.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Get your Free Change Your Life Starter Course

Get instant access to the first four modules of my Change Your Life course - packed with over 50 pages of guides, exercises, tools, and templates to help you design and start living your best life.