9 Reasons To Smile More

Anyone can smile, but many people aren’t smiling as often as they could or should. That’s too bad because smiling can do a lot for you (and feels great!)

For just a moment, think of all the people you know and how much they smile. What do the people who smile a lot have in common? What about those who rarely smile?

Smiling is free, pleasurable, and benefits you and those around you.

Smiling has a lot of benefits, some of which may surprise you:

1. Smiling releases endorphins. Smiling makes you feel good. Studies have shown that smiling can uplift your attitude and perception of a negative situation.
   You can test this yourself. Put a big genuine smile on your face and notice how your mood changes. You have more control over your emotions and your mood than you think. Smiling is a simple tool to affect how you feel.
   
   
2. Smiling makes others smile. When you smile, other people smile back. When you make others smile, they feel good. When you make them feel good, they like you. You get the picture. When you smile, it benefits others, and those benefits flow back to you.
   
   
3. Smiling boosts your confidence. You feel more confident when you smile. You have a better outlook on your circumstances and yourself. A simple smile can give your confidence a boost. Greater self-confidence lifts your performance ceiling. You have greater potential when you have more confidence.
   
   
4. Smiling enhances your social life. You’re more approachable when you smile. People are more interested in getting to know you if you appear to be a happy person. You can find yourself with more friends, dates, and social opportunities.
   
   
5. Smiling can make you resistant to illness and has been shown to boost your immune system. You’re less likely to catch a cold, the flu, or a variety of other ailments if you smile. Cancer is often linked to immune function, too. Smile and be healthy.
   
   
6. Smiling makes you better looking. People will rate you as more attractive when you’re smiling than when you’re not. Smile, and discover what it does for your love life. You’ll be more than pleased by the results.
   
   
7. Smiling lowers stress. Stress makes you miserable and is hard on your mind and body. The more you smile, the less stressed you’ll feel. Nobody wants to be stressed, so smile instead.
   
   
8. Smiling makes others trust you more. A smile makes you appear more trustworthy. Try it out and see for yourself. Also, consider the people you know that smile a lot. Do you trust them more or less than those you rarely see smile?
   
   
9. Smiling enhances productivity and creativity. Numerous studies have demonstrated that smiling increases your productivity. You get more accomplished when you’re in a good mood. When you smile, you’re more creative, you can find more effective solutions to challenges, and you enhance your artistic side.
   
   

Smiling has scientifically proven benefits. Hopefully, you see the value of smiling and are motivated to smile more easily and more often. You gain nothing by maintaining a stoic expression.

Take a moment to repeat the short exercise from the beginning of this article. Think about everyone you know and how much they smile. What do the frequent smilers have in common? What about those that smile infrequently? How do your observations compare to the information presented above?

Smile more and reap the many benefits. You have nothing to lose but your bad mood. A genuine smile has a power all its own.