I was shocked to find out that children smile, on average, 420 times a day, as opposed to only 20 times for adults. So I’m forcing myself to smile more. Why? Because whether or not we are smiling in response to something that truly made us smile, a smile will always be beneficial to us. It will make us feel better, lower our stress and anxiety, release endorphins (aka: the feel good hormone), it will make us look more attractive and less grumpy (especially as we age and those lines between the eyebrows start to appear). If the reasons above aren’t enough for you, here are 3 simple reasons to smile right now (like, right now, as you’re reading this!):
1. You ARE reading this: Which means you are alive and hopefully well (like District 12 – get the joke? From “The Hunger Games”). I hope you are smiling right now as I’m telling you that being alive is pure magic. How in the world did we come to be such miraculous creatures who can think, and function, who can feel, and see, and hear, and touch… and experience so much! We are so lucky to be alive. To able to live in a world full of wonder. To be able to experience new things and learn so much (if we choose to). You are alive, and that, my friend, is a reason to smile.
2. You CAN read this: Which means you are either a genius, or like the rest of us, went to school and learned how to. You had the PRIVILEGE to go to school. If you are an American, you could go to a public school and get good education for free. Or you had a mother who was able to stay home and homeschool you. Education is a privilege and you should smile because it’s something you will take with you for the rest of your life!
3. You HAVE access to this: Which means you either have your own computer/cell phone, or access to a computer. Have you stopped to think of just how lucky you are? You might not have conquered the world, I haven’t either, but wow, we are so lucky. We have so much more than we need. We need to be so thankful. My grandparents were farmers and life was so very different. Can you imagine not having a phone to communicate with your family? Or having to take a “wagon” to the hospital to deliver a baby! A wagon!!! That’s what my grandma had to do. Please smile as you think of all your blessings. There will always be people with more, but boy, there are millions with nothing.
Please smile, it’s contagious!
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