Smile Often

Most people don’t realize that a simple smile is one of the easiest and free ways to boost not just your health, but your mood, longevity and your success as well. It is a great way to stand out from the crowd while at the same time helping your body function better.

Smiling can help decrease your stress levels, improve your attractiveness, and can do a lot more than just let the world know you are happy. “Confidence is the most beautiful accessory you can wear!” {We love this saying}.

Benefits of smiling:

• Smiling makes you more attractive and alluring. A person who smiles a lot attracts more people into their world.  It can also make them appear younger as the muscles used to smile lift the face.
• Smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin which can make you feel good.
• Smiling reduces stress. We are well-aware that stress is an extremely common problem in today’s world, and stress causes a myriad of health problems. Smiling releases endorphins that neutralize and lessen the stress hormones, which means a simple smile can decrease your feelings of stress.
• When a person smiles, it changes their mood. Any time you are feeling down, smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood from being sad to happy!
• Smiling lowers the heart rate as it slows the heart and relaxes the body, allowing the heart to work less. Studies show that people who smile a lot are less likely to develop heart disease. What’s more, smiling temporarily reduces your blood pressure. 

and even more benefits  …

• Smiling can boost your immune system to work more optimally. Immune function improves when you smile, as you are more relaxed. An improved immune system can help you fight off the flu, common colds, and other ailments.
• Smiling encourages trust, especially when you have a genuine smile. Studies show that we are more trustful of people who smile a lot. People tend to trust and believe someone who smiles while communicating.
• A Smile can encourage empathy. In embarrassing moments, our initial reaction is to smile, which breaks the ice of embarrassment, promotes compassion in what others think of us and stimulates a sense of empathy.  
• Smiling is contagious! Fifty percent of people return the smile back. Join us in our 30 Day Happiness Challenge where we delve into this a little deeper.
• Smiling makes you appear more successful and confident. It can also help you stay positive. 

The Little Black Book of Sassy and Blissful Suggestions talks about all the benefits of smiling and how important it is to include one each and every day.

Try to be upset or angry when you are smiling — hmmm … difficult, yes?