“Remember to Smile. It Won’t Mess Up Your Hair.”
About once a week, I see a Doo Wop group that wanders up and down the 6 Train in Manhattan. In unison, after singing a Motown standard, they sing the quote above. There is actually something to this notion. Whenever I think of the word smile or hear the word smile, I immediately begin to smile. I bet you do, too.
In 2000, there were two different studies showing that seeing a person smile stimulated the facial muscles that require another to smile. In fact, one of them showed that reading action verbs also stimulated facial muscles. Dr. Fredrickson, at The University of North Carolina, took it a step further with an experiment that tested the relationship between positive emotions and general well-being. She said, “This study shows that if happiness is something you want out of life, then focusing daily on the small moments and cultivating positive emotions is the way to go. Those small moments let positive emotions blossom, and that helps us become more open. That openness then helps us build resources that can help us rebound better from adversity and stress, ward off depression and continue to grow.”
So even if you’re having a bad day, try to smile. You never know who else might ‘catch’ your smile and pass it on.
Enjoy Your Exercise. Enjoy Your Day.
