Have you ever considered how important your facial expression is? It’s not something that most of us think about on a regular basis, but facial expressions can and do make a huge difference in our interactions with others.
[featured-image single_newwindow=”false”](Image courtesy of Dollar Photo Club)[/featured-image]
If you have a more open, friendly and expressive facial expression, you’ll find yourself having more positive interactions with the people around you.
And what’s a more positive and expressive facial expression than a smile?
[shareable cite=”Denis Waitley”]A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside.[/shareable]
Even when you aren’t talking to anyone and you’re just passing others by, it’s a great idea to send a smile their way.
[callout]A smile can be contagious, and believe it or not, you may even be able to make a stranger feel better by just catching their eyes and smiling as you pass them by.[/callout]
There are a ton of great reasons to remember to smile throughout the day. Here are just a few!
#1. It costs nothing
What could be more free than a smile? Smiles can help you and the other people around you feel better, and it takes nothing but moving a few facial muscles. If you try to smile more often, you’ll soon see that you feel more chipper, friendly and open for conversation than you would otherwise. Why not do something that makes life a little more fun if it doesn’t cost anything?
#2. It makes you look better
Studies have shown that people who are smiling are seen as more attractive than people that aren’t. People are naturally attracted to others who give off a positive vibe. It shows you’re happy, healthy and not conflicted in your life.
We spend so much time worrying about how other people think about the way we look. If you’re like most people,you’d want to appear attractive. Why not start smiling? It costs less than cosmetics and expensive clothing, and it can certainly make a huge difference!
#3. It helps you connect with others
Body language is thought to be more important than verbal language when it comes to communication. Smiling is one very important form of body language that indicates openness and emotional connection. When you catch someone’s eye and smile, they automatically feel more connected to you as a person. Your smile can make someone feel like they’re better understood, and it can help people open up emotionally around you.
Smiles help you make friends and keep them!
#4. It shows you’re open for business
There are a ton of times in life when other people can help you reach your goals. In fact, networking and communication is one of the most highly sought after skills in many companies. Other people can help you find the resources you need to reach your goals, but first you have to connect with them. If you walk around with a smile on your face often, you’ll probably end up in more conversations and making more connections with others.
That smile shows people you’re open for business and you want to talk! You’ll be surprised with how many places other people can help you get.
#5. It makes you more personable and approachable
Most of us want to have more friends and get to know more people, but there’s a huge problem. A lot of us don’t communicate that through our body language. When we appear closed off and we have a cold expression, others are much less likely to engage in conversation with us. A simple smile can mean the difference when another person is trying to decide whether to start talking to you and make a friend or not.
Should you smile when you don’t feel like?
This can be a bit tricky to answer because there are times in one’s life when the last thing you want to do is smile. But that is when you do need to smile because smiling can change the way you feel. It can make you feel good and happy. Smiling does not mean that you deny how you feel. On the contrary you acknowledge that you are not feeling good but you make a conscious decision to smile because you know it can make you feel better.