June 11, 2020

Bring Back The Smile :) 3 Ways to Smile More

I miss a lot of things these days, but smiles top the list.

I have not enjoyed wearing a mask all these months. Steamed up glasses, feeling suffocated and my poor sensitive tugged-at ears are a few of my biggest mask-wearing complaints.
But what masks have done to common courtesy saddens me to the core.

We live in a world where texting has already taken the place of talking. Millions more are working from home, and virtual meetings have been trending (pre-COVID) for years.
Facebook is where we socialize with most of our friends.
We are already out of the habit of real-time interacting.

Now, more than ever, we could benefit from a few real-life smiles.

I long for human interaction when I leave my home (which is also my workplace and my FB contact center).
To me, a trip to the grocery store is both productive and fun. In a small town, it’s easy to find someone to chat with while shopping for dinner. I effortlessly strike up a conversation with the produce guy and make a point of greeting my cashier with bubbly how-are-yous, smiles, and heartfelt thank yous.

Now, stone-faced silence has replaced chatter.

No smiles. No conversations. Heck, we barely look anyone in the eye anymore. The energy between people these days is like two north magnets repelling.
In the stores.
On the trails.
Walking down the street.

Not me. I’m still smiling at you behind my mask.
I want to ask how your day is going, so I do. Now you know what those muffled sounds are.
Please, ask me how my day is going! I’ll give you my favorite answer.
FABULOUS!

You see,
93% of communication is non-verbal.
And now, we are covering our faces and avoiding each other altogether.

We are becoming more stressed, depressed, and fearful.
It’s important to understand that humans need human contact and interaction.
We are social creatures. Interacting is what gives our life joy and meaning.

Granted, there have been about a million restrictions placed on us.
But we can still smile.
We can still shout a muffled, “Hello! How are you doing today?” from our mummified mouths.
We can still LOOK into the eyes of others instead of glancing beyond or around or through them.

Smiling.
It’s a universal language.
It’s an expression of kindness, happiness, and love.
Bring back the smile.

3 Reasons why should you smile more.
One ~ Smiling is contagious. The germ of happiness is worth spreading!
Two ~ No matter what your mood is, putting a smile on your face makes you feel happier!
Three ~ Smiling reduces stress, lowers your heart rate, and boosts your immunity!

3 Ways to do this?
~Call someone and wish them a happy birthday or just an all-around fabulous day!
~Pull up a dog or puppy video and watch it. Guaranteed smile!
~Ask someone to tell you the BEST thing that happened to them today. Then share the best thing that happened to YOU. Instant smile!

Cheers to the smile, we need it now, more than ever 🙂

Fun Facts…
On average, kids smile 400 times a day. WOW!
A happy adult smiles 40 to 50 times a day.
And most people smile about 20 times a day.

Developing Great Habits, Lifestyle, Relationship Building , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
About Susan Wheeler
Mom of 4?7 grands❤️ultra runner ?‍♀️natural health strategist?writer ?organic farm owner?
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