The Shortest Way To Happiness Begins With A Smile
Do happy people smile more often or are people who smile happier? The answer is that both are true. When we are satisfied or feel happy, we are more attuned to good and beautiful things in our environment and this is reflected by a smile.
What’s interesting is that the reverse also happens: the more we smile, even if it’s sometimes not meant to be, the happier we feel.
Smiling improves our mood
An experiment conducted by Fritz Strack shows that our mood improves when we smile. The experiment consisted of two groups who were shown funny comics. The people in one of the groups held a pen between their lips so that their mouth formed a smile, and the other group held a neutral expression.
As a result, the people who smiled liked their comics more and were more likely to be in a good mood. This is because the brain interprets the movement of the muscles of the face as a sign that we are happy, regardless of the reason, and responds to it with a positive mood.
The mind works “by inclinations.” When we are sad or angry, we interpret what happens to us in a more negative way and we tend to think about and remember negative events, while when we are happy we interpret things in a more positive and positive way. have memories and thoughts.
So, “forcing yourself” to laugh can be a good way to put your body in a happier state, creating an interaction. This is just one of the reasons why a smile is the first step to happiness, but there are more.
A smile is contagious
We live in a stressful world where we meet a lot of people, but we hardly notice them: the baker, the bus driver, the doctor, the cashier at the supermarket… In these everyday situations , showing a smile and being friendly after a while bring about a subtle but important change. An unimportant encounter becomes so important.
If we go out with the smile already on our face, it is likely that our smile will be reciprocated, giving us a greater sense of inner peace.
There is a reason that one of the first things babies learn is to smile back at their mother or others who care for them.
We are programmed to interpret the smile as a sign of certainty and respond to it, creating a connection that communicates the idea that “this is a safe place where you don’t have to be defensive”.
A small gesture, such as a smile, can have a decisive influence on the atmosphere created between people.
A smile is the first step to laughter
There is nothing more fun than seeing a baby smile. If you’ve ever seen it, you’ve probably noticed that even the most serious person can’t help but smile and even laugh along with the baby.
Laughter, like smiling, is both an expression of happiness and a form of communication that indicates that we are in a safe and friendly atmosphere.
Knowing how to laugh at your circumstances and yourself is essential if we don’t want to drown in our problems and keep our heads above water. A smile at the right time can break even the greatest tensions. Laughter breaks down the walls of unhappiness and brings us closer to happiness.
Not only do we feel good when we laugh, but laughter brings us together. Many good friendships are built on evenings of laughter and it is important that lovers can laugh together. One of the first games we play with our kids is to tickle them to make them laugh.
Laughing with someone creates a bond and these bonds, good relationships where you feel safe, are absolutely indispensable in a happy life.
If we just remember to smile, not only will we feel happier, but we’ll pass this feeling along and who knows, maybe we’ll build the foundation of a relationship too.
