Principle 47: Smiles Really are Contagious

Betcha can't have just one!

There is a trick people use right before going into a job interview: they raise their arms in triumph, and whaddya know, it gives you confidence! Try it!

The same is true of smiles. How do you react when you are walking down the street and you see someone smiling? Maybe it’s a kid just bursting with delight:

I’ll bet it makes you happier. It might even make you smile too. It’s like laughter: it’s contagious.

If you feel better when you see someone smile, know that others feel the same way. So why not smile more often?

• It helps others feel better

• It helps you feel better (try it right now)

• You look less threatening to strangers when you smile

I’m not saying to go around with a goofy (or smirky, or creepy) grin all the time. That would be idiotic! What I’m saying is to not suppress your emotions. We live in a world full of grim news. Why add to it by walking around like your cat died?

If you look friendlier, you add to your neighborhood’s friendliness quotient. Maybe the person you pass will see your friendly look and smile back, and then the person they see next will smile back too.

I’m not naive. I know some people will be sourpusses, and we really don’t know what each person is going through, so not everyone will respond favorably. That’s OK, we don’t act principally in a transactional manner: I’ll do this so that you’ll do that. No, we act principally because it is a better way to live, and if someone doesn’t respond, that’s on them, not us.

For us, be the source of comfort. Smile!