The Power of a Smile
Lighten Your Day and Someone Else’s
Have you noticed how stressed people are? Running from home to office to home again with all the challenges that occur in between it’s no wonder people forget to take time to appreciate what they have and smile. Often when I pull along side another car and we’re both waiting for the light to change I’ll turn to my neighbor and smile. I usually get the gift of a smile in return. Most smiles are started by another smile and produce a ripple effect. A smile offers kindness. It may be the only source of sunshine the recipient sees all day long. Smiles are free, harmless, and contagious.
Smiling gives you a positive countenance that makes people feel comfortable around you. Smiles suggest goodness, caring, and well-being. There are hundreds of languages in the world. A smile speaks them all. People smile in the same language and communicate a universal message.
A smile reflects an open heart. It tells others you are acknowledging them. Smiling at someone can lessen their stress, even for a brief moment, because you are sending them a warm signal.
For me, smiling is a habit. In the course of a day I greet everyone with a smile. Whether at the post office, toll booth, supermarket, gas station, in a waiting room, in the library, or at a restaurant, the people with whom I come in contact experience my smile. My smile says I see them, appreciate them, and value their presence. Just thinking that a smile of mine might linger the whole day through and lighten a heavy heart is reason enough to smile!
When we smile in recognition of one another, we demonstrate greater appreciation for each other. The world needs our smiles; people need connection. Think about the impact your smile can have on someone else. Think about the difference we can make when we each exercise the gift of our smiles. The next time you feel stressed or you see others dealing with the stresses of their lives, give the gift of your smile. It frees your spirit. It shifts your focus. Smiles are powerful because they lift others and lighten your way. Why hold back?
