Some days you just don’t feel like smiling. Period. Maybe you have a long day ahead of you, or you’re dreading that early meeting with a difficult client. Perhaps the kids are dragging their feet or the dog tore up another pillow. For whatever reason, the last thing you want to do is smile.
Most people have one of those days every now and then. Some of us have lots of those days! As cliché as it sounds, there are benefits to “turning that frown upside down.” Smiling is exactly what you need to do. Over the years, numerous studies have shown that smiling can reduce stress and lower blood pressure.
Benefits of smiling aren’t limited to high-stress work situations but also extend to personal, everyday activities. For example, in this Wall Street Journal article, Kyle Gorjanc, a long-distance runner, explains how she began intentionally smiling while running. The benefit is that now she is “less stressed and tired while running.” All thanks to a smile!
Embrace the idea of intentionally smiling, and as you do so, consider these reasons to smile from the article “9 Surprising Benefits of Smiling.”
The absolute best reason is the effect you can have on someone else. Being on the receiving end of a smile encourages the receiver to smile back. So help someone else feel better—pass on a smile!