Smile

Daily life is being shaken up right now and it’s uncertain how it will settle out. This coronavirus pandemic is real. And serious. So I’m sharing from any earlier post about the Power of a Smile. Smiling is beneficial – even if you’re alone!

et the tone. I enjoy reading the Little Golden Book, Little Racoon’s Nighttime Adventure, to the First Graders I visit. Little Racoon is charged with the grown-up duty of bringing home dinner. On his journey, others warn him about The Thing in the Pool and advise that he make a mean face and hold up a stone or stick to show The Thing that he is not afraid. When he does so, Little Racoon sees The Thing acting just as tough. (By now the kid are smiling because they know The Thing is his reflection.)  🙂  When Little Racoon takes his mother’s advice and just smiles, The Thing in the Pool smiles back. And when he laughs, The Thing in the Pool laughs, too! Being friendly wins the day! Little Racoon is no longer afraid and is successful in his quest for crayfish.

When my husband arrives home, I make my way to the door and simply greet him by saying hello with a smile. He appreciates the friendly welcome.

ood improves. It may seem difficult to smile when feeling sad or upset, but finding something to smile about will help. Studies have shown that even forcing a smile improves our mood. (Go ahead and try it now.) 🙂 The action of smiling relieves stress, making it easier to think more positively. The more we smile, the more likely our brains are to create happiness loops, enabling us to overcoming the natural, protective pattern of focusing on negatives and to nurture a more positive outlook.

mmunity boost. An infographic about avoiding the flu says – Get vaccinated, Wash your hands, Stay home when sick, Eat right, Exercise, Use hand sanitizer, Don’t touch your face, and the surprise –  SMILE, because studies show that it can boost our immune systems. One article noted that smiling affects our bodies on a cellular level in a way that can protect us from disease.

ook more attractive. Think about it. Why do we smile for pictures? Are we more attracted to people who look happy or to those who look grumpy? When I try this in the mirror, it seems that I look younger when I smile. Sure, there are some laugh lines showing, but my face gets a lift and my eyes come alive when I smile.

njoy humor. If a smile can do us so much good, imagine what laughter can accomplish!  We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, but do we take it? I confess that since childhood I have taken life pretty seriously. I can’t deny, however, the value of enjoying time with cheerful people, reading a clever cartoon, or watching a funny movie.

A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17:22