Muhammad Afif Danial Bin Ramlee title:How to Smile When You Normally Wouldn't
Sunday, 11 January 2015 | 16:15 | 0 comments
Method 3 of 3: Making Smiling Part
of Everyday Life
1
Smile when you normally wouldn't. Have you been holding back your smile out fear that it will
make people wonder about you? Smiles attract attention, but it's the right kind
of attention. As you go about your day, consider ways smiling can make your
world a more positive place.
- Smiling at work or during other professional occasions is not going to make you seem unprofessional. Quite the opposite, a smile will humanize you and make you appear more approachable. People will appreciate your recognition of their worth and of a job well done when you smile.
- A smile makes you seem "real." If you're afraid of appearing vulnerable when you smile, accept that any form of vulnerability suggested by a smile is precisely what makes it such a powerful act. You're opening yourself up to others and people will respond better to that than to a serious, unmoved demeanor. Moreover, a smile accompanied by an assertive personality will take care of any sense that people will use your smile to walk all over you!
2
Expect smiling to be difficult in
some situations. Smiling on demand can be difficult,
whether it's for a photo or for the sake of keeping mom happy when the
relatives you can't stand visit. This is because you are feeling self-conscious
or you lack a genuine reason for smiling. In these sorts of cases, smiling
needs to come from your memory of good smiles along with a little self-kidding
or jokes in the head.
- For a photo, smile 20 percent more than you think you should.[1]
- Smile wide and show the top row of teeth. Don't forget to use your eyes!
3
Enjoy the many benefits of a smile. In order to want to smile, it really helps to know what
benefits a smile can bring to your day. The following benefits are bound to
make you lean towards sharing a grin with others most of the day:
- Smiles improve your appearance. Charles Gordy once quipped: "A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks". All you need to do is think about how you feel about a person who is frowning and a person who is smiling – who tends to be the better looking?
- Smiles make things right again and say much more than words can. If you've goofed, said something less than complimentary, feel lost or alone, or feel down, a smile can restore the balance. It lets other people know that you're prepared to be open with them, and that you're willingly agreeing to make amends where needed.
- Smiles create trust and rapport. A smile is a great way of establishing mutual feelings of being on the same level as others, whether that is one-to-one or in front of a group giving a presentation. It says "I'm OK, you're OK, and we're all going to enjoy one another's company."
- Smiles make you feel good. Even if you're feeling a little blue, insert happy thoughts into your mind and just add that smile. It will trick your mind into feeling better, as endorphins are released to reduce physical or emotional stress.[2]
- Smiles make other people feel good. An open-mouthed smile is visible from further away than a frown, offering people reassurance that you're friendly.[3] And it makes people feel better to see a smile, from afar or close-up.
- Wrinkles are better when they're smile lines rather than frown lines. Mark Twain said: "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been"; viewed this way, smiles are an indication of your overall character, which becomes more and more outwardly telling as you age!
- Smiling is a good long-term predictor of happier life outcomes. It's correlated with health, happiness, friends, success, and a longer life.
