The Energy of SMILES

The energy of your smile can uplift your spirit and your state of mind. It can expand your point of view and enhance your perspective about life. Moreover, it can influence people who get to see and experience your smile.

Smile. Such potential! One little upturn on your face. It can change your day. Yes! The simple gesture of a smile can ‘make your day’.

One little – or big –  smile is filled with so many advantages, from heightening confidence in yourself, to raising your outlook on life, to simply making you feel better.

The Energy of Your Infectious Smile

Smiles are infectious energy. They are so easy to spread, so naturally transferable, you could say they are downright contagious. This is because your brain can interpret other people’s facial expressions.

From birth, your brain has an instinct that makes you want to imitate your mother’s smile. From there onward, when someone smiles, you find yourself unwittingly smiling yourself. The more genuine the smile of another earthling, the more it affects your sudden urge to smile in return. Smiles truly are contagious!

Positive You 

“If you happen upon someone who is not smiling,

You can always give them one of yours.”

I recently posted this, and it not only received many positive responses, but I could almost feel the people smiling back at me! Here are some of the LOVE-ly responses:

• “What a nice gift!” – “And they smile back!” – “I absolutely love this – sooo much!” – “Very happy to share!” – “Always” – “Amen”

Do you know, even when it doesn’t come naturally, smiling can influence your positive feelings. The simple act of smiling tells your brain something important: smile back.

Your brain is getting a signal from someone else’s smile. This signal makes the brain synapses move your facial muscles upward. It’s the beginning of creating your habit energy. Smiling can become a wonderful habit. And the upward movement of your muscles in your face actually affects the rest of your body.

 Physical Power of Smiling

–      Boost Your Mood 

The first thing you may notice is that your smile raises your spirits. If you’re feeling downcast, try finding a smile by finding something – or someone – to smile about. One minute you’re feeling the blahs, and in the next moment you feel tip-top!

Once again, it’s because of that magnificent brain of yours! Your brain can affect your emotional state of mind because it reacts to cheerful facial expressions. The next natural step is that you begin to feel happy – happier. And remember, this can happen for you – even if your returning smile is not authentic.

Your smile tells your brain to activate its neuropeptides: serotonin and dopamine. That improves your neural communication and that is what can elevate your mood.

Smiling is akin to laughter. (Here is my  Blog on Laughter) When it comes to lowering your blood pressure, like a natural bromide, smiling soothes your body and mind and spirit.

–      Energize Your Immune System 

Moreover, that soothing smile goes even farther through your human system. When your body is relaxed, your health can improve by making your immune system more efficient.  A calm body – and mind – can release beneficial neurotransmitters.

If you put a smirk and a laugh together – you get a ‘smirf’. And I say, even a little ‘smirf ‘can do the trick!

• Relieve Stress 

Stress can flood your whole being, and it absolutely is visible in your face. One easy smile can help keep you from appearing exhausted or swamped. That automatically reduces strain and tension. Again, it’s interesting that it doesn’t matter if your smile is not genuine. Your smile can still relieve stress. Like the old song from “Annie” –

“You’re never really dressed without a smile!”

So when you’re dressing, the last thing you can put on is your smile!

–      Reduce Pain 

You have a natural pain reliever at your disposal. You see, the endorphin Seratonin is a pain-killer. Endorphins boost your mood, relax your body and lessen body pain. Now, these endorphins, like Seratonin, are released into your body when you smile! Yes! So – headache, muscle ache, cramp… whatever… smile through your pain – and see how you feel!

–      Health & Longevity

Being happy and positive can lead to a healthy lifestyle. And there is more and more evidence that suggests happy, positive smiles can increase your life expectancy.

The Energy of Smiles: Bonus

–      You’re Energy is Attractive 

There are those characters who never seem to smile. Think of Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol”: harsh, glaring, glowering, and sneering.  He was superb at repelling other human beings.

People avoid others who scowl. The same people are attracted to those who smile.

Smiling is attractive. People who smile are often considered more winning, beguiling, fetching, engaging. Smilers also seem to be more positive and, therefore, have more positive personality traits.

Humans have also noticed something else about smiling.

I recall standing in a drugstore looking at all the different facial creams. A woman next to me sighed, “I wish I could find something that makes me look younger.”

I replied, “There is. But it’s not on the shelf. It’s your smile.”

She smiled. I smiled. And she said, “Hmm. I think it works!”

Yes. Smiling can make you look younger! Physically, the reason is that the facial muscles that lift upwards in a smile, also lift the whole face. Smile your way into the fountain of youth!

The Energy of Smiles: Success 

You have to admit, that the beneficial effects of smiling are many: you’re more attractive, healthier, you have a stronger immune system, and a longer-life expectancy. You can be free of stress and even pain. And on top of that you feel good and have an optimistic mood.

Smiling is a simple, yet very powerful act. You may be amazed by this video: The Hidden Power of Smiling, by Ron Gutman.

When you smile, you often appear more confident, and have better self-esteem. When you are smiling around other people, you are more likely to be approached, for you seem more approachable. With a smile on your face people resonate with you. People respond positively to you and your ideas. This is the picture of happy success.

This is the picture of YOU!

Light On!