It probably isn’t surprising to you that happier people smile more than unhappy people. But did you know that there is lots of evidence that in addition to reflecting happiness, smiles can literally CREATE happiness? Shut up, it’s true. You can peek at articles from Scientific American, the Wall Street Journal, and Smithsonian about the growing evidence that smiles actually improve the mood of the smiler and those around them.
If you happen to be in a good mood right now, be sure to communicate it to yourself and those you encounter with a warm, broad smile. If you aren’t in a particularly happy mood and you would like to be, dare yourself to try “fake smiling” for a few minutes and see if that can’t improve your mood. It is important to remember that happiness isn’t a requirement of every moment of every day; indeed, it is perfectly normal and quite healthy for bouts of frustration and sadness to visit you. The trick is to remember that when you’re finished feeling blechy, something as simple as a smile can help you elevate your spirit.
If you need a help finding your smile, may I suggest you watch Marcel the Shell, or the sequel which actually ends with the quote we featured in this week’s Pebble.
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
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