Improve Your Life with a Smile
By: Stu Black - Humour Incorporated
A recent story in Canada's National Post claimed that people who smile are happier, make more money and have more sex. While the article didn't carry any definitive statistical proof, it's not difficult to believe that there's an element of truth to it. Certainly the benefits of smiling are frequently underestimated. If you're skeptical about the newspaper story, let me offer you a couple of other reasons to smile more often.
You see it's impossible to smile and feel blue at the same time. Next time you're, feeling stressed, here's a simple way to prove it to yourself. Try smiling to a count of ten, and I mean really smiling - plant on your face the widest smile that you can; feel your cheeks rising, and your teeth showing. Then relax your facial muscles for another count of ten. Repeat the exercise once or twice more until you can feel the tension ease. It turns out that you can fool your body, because when you put yourself into smile mode, your body actually thinks you're happy and starts to respond in a positive way.
I recently discovered that the smile technique also helps you get to sleep on one of those nights when your mind won't stop working. The same principle applies with the serious thoughts being blocked out by your smile. So, while there are no guarantees that the smiles will bring your more money or sex, you will find some positive rewards…and it'll make life a lot more enjoyable for the people you spend time with.
