Positive Vibes: Smile
“Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about. ”
Hi friends. It seems like we could all use some positivity these days. Among day-to-day stresses, we also have all the terribleness going on in the world. It’s heart wrenching making it nearly impossible to think positive. But I still need to try and bring positivity to my life, and to yours. So here’s another addition to my positive vibe series. Smile, and smile often.
Smiling is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to pass on a positive vibe. Just by smiling you can share a little encouragement along to a friend, colleague, or complete stranger.
Did you know that as children, we smile an average of 400 times per day? However, as we age, us stressed out grown-ups smile less often, like 40-50 times per day. Such a sad bummer, right? Smiling is so important and should be something we do more of.
Smiling provides an instant mood booster but also releases cortisol and endorphins that give our beautiful bodies so many health benefits. Seriously, smiling can:
Reduced stress
Reduced pain (physical and emotional)
Reduce blood pressure
Increased endurance
Strengthen your immune system
Pretty amazing right?
Even more incredible, studies show that people who smile appear more likable, courteous, and competent. I even found through research that smilers tend to be more productive at work and make more money. Hello!
Does that make you want to smile more? The first step is easy, just wake up and start your day with a smile. Look in the mirror and smile to yourself. Smile at your family. Smile at a stranger. You may notice that one smile will lead to additional smiles not just for you, but for those around you.
So smile, grin, beam, or smirk because there is no denying the feel-good power of this happy facial expression. It is contagious and even if you're not feeling happy, just ‘grinning and bearing it’ can actually make us feel better than we did before. Hey, research says so.
Peace, Love & Keep Smilin’
Nikki
“A smile is a good reply to the dark world.”