The Secret to a Happier You

Discover the surprising and easy way you can reduce stress

Jean Edelman: This week I want to talk about smile. A smile costs nothing yet It has amazing influence on those around us. It has a wonderful benefit to our state of mind. A smile costs less than electricity, but it gives much light. A sincere smile can produce a chain reaction that creates up to 500 smiles in just one day.  

In addition to the benefits to our brain and our body, seeing a smile reduces the effects of stress. The brain interprets smiles as a sign of good humor and sends out calming hormones. There’s research out of the University of South Australia, the act of smiling tricks our brain into happiness just by moving these facial muscles. When our facial muscles are saying we’re happy. We may see the world in a more positive way.  

So here is our very simple action item. Pay attention. Are we smiling when we’re interacting with others? If not, smile. Even if we’re not feeling it. See how the conversation changes. Maybe there’ll be a better outcome when we’re walking along the street. Smile at someone that’s coming towards you. Give them a little eye contact and see the smile that you’ve just given. That could create 500 more smiles in someone’s day. Smiling. It’s tricking her body into happiness. How cool is that?  

So the action item is to get out and smile this week. And our word of the week is simple. It’s smile.  

S is actually for Smile,  an impression of happiness on our face. We can have fun with this when we’re out and about. Just look up and smile at someone and see how they react. Remember when we were smiling with our eyes during COVID? Well, now we can share a real smile. It brightens the world around us.  

The M is for Mood because we can change our mood and we can change the mood of others just by putting a smile on our face. Happy hormones begin to flow through our body when we put a smile on our face. How easy is that?  

The I is for Ignite because we can ignite others. We can share and uplift with others. Our smile could be the only one that they see that day. Yet it could change their day and it will make it a great day. So smile.  

The L is for Laugh. A smile and a laugh are very, very contagious. So when you’re with a group of people or maybe you’re in a meeting, just start smiling and then see how that smile works itself around the room. It could be pretty memorable.  

The E is for Exchange because when we exchange a smile with someone, especially someone we don’t know, that smile can create the 500 smiles. How fun to know that we can change someone else’s day, that we can have a positive and happy impact. The trick is to smile even when we’re not feeling it, even when we’re not in a great mood, because that smile will change that mood and will make us feel better.  

So have a wonderful week, everyone, and get out there and smile.