5 Reasons To Smile

Here are 5 Reasons You Need To Smile:

1. Smiling gets others to trust you

Smiling is just one visual way that we can suggest to others that we are trustworthy. Genuine smiles send a message that other people can trust and co-operate with us. People who smile are rated higher in both generosity and extraversion and when people share with each other they tend to display genuine smiles.  Spontaneous smiles could therefore be an important signal in the formation and maintenance of cooperative relationships. (Mehu et al., 2007)

2. Smiling can help others forgive you

Remember that really embarrassing thing you did?  How did you react?  Or have you done something bad accidentally and felt really bad?  Not to worry,  an embarrassed smile, when we look down and maybe give a little laugh can help make others forgive us more quickly. (Keltner & Buswell, 1997)

3. Smiling can help make others feel happier

Studies suggest that smiling, forced or not, can have a positive effect on your mood, decrease stress levels, and even make everyone around you feel better.  Smiling can be contagious!  Try it out and smile at as many people as you can and see if you can make others smile back.

4. Smiling will make you a better leader

If you want to be a great leader, maybe smiling is the key to get you there. A group of researchers from The University of Montpellier discovered that smiling is a more effective leadership technique than having great management responsibilities. Who doesn’t love a leader that smiles?

5. Smiling releases endorphins

Smiling can help you manage stress and anxiety by releasing endorphins, those feel good chemicals that makes you happier. Endorphins are the same chemicals you get from working out or running.  For a while there, I was doing crossfit, and those endorphins were amazing and kept me going back for more and more punishment.  Smiling seems a lot easier!

Obviously, we are all about gratitude and happiness here at Me Inc. and so smiling, whether it be a genuine full on crinkle around the eyes smile or just a fakey, it all helps to create a happier YOU and quite possibly happier people around you too!  SMILE!