{"id":3937,"date":"2012-08-02T14:17:30","date_gmt":"2012-08-02T18:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/ourladyofweightloss\/?p=3937"},"modified":"2012-08-02T16:20:10","modified_gmt":"2012-08-02T20:20:10","slug":"9-reasons-to-grimace-of-smile-either-way-its-all-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/ourladyofweightloss\/2012\/08\/9-reasons-to-grimace-of-smile-either-way-its-all-good.html","title":{"rendered":"9 Reasons to Grimace or Smile … either way, it’s all good?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Ever walk down the street or through the park, in deep thought, with a scowl on your face and a furrowed brow, and some stranger takes it upon himself to yell out to you, \u201cIt can\u2019t be that bad.\u00a0 How about a smile?\u201d<\/p>\n

I have, on more than one occasion!\u00a0 See, I\u2019m not the happy idiot you may have imagined.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got my moods!<\/p>\n

Once, when in a particularly irritable state, I screwed up my face and snappishly yelled back, \u201cHow do you know?\u00a0 Maybe it is<\/strong><\/em> that bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was \u2018it\u2019 that bad?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 But still, who asked him!\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe I wanted to be in a bad mood, maybe I wasn\u2019t quite ready to let go of cranky.\u00a0 Why are people intent on making other people smile?<\/p>\n

This morning I was thinking about smiling, remembering the above incident, and before you knew it, I was researching the benefits of smiling.<\/p>\n

Before you read on, please know that I am not trying to make you smile.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m simply sharing what I feel is useful and interesting information.\u00a0 If you want to grimace, frown, wrinkle your brow, contort your face into extremely unattractive shapes, I will support you.\u00a0 If you want to smile, I will support your taking that action!\u00a0 Either way!\u00a0\u00a0 … \u00a0\u00a0\":)\"\u00a0 (Sorry, couldn\u2019t resist the smiley face.)<\/p>\n

9 Reasons to Grimace or Smile, either way \u2026
\nIt\u2019s your choice!\u00a0 Own it!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Smiling makes us look younger.<\/strong>\u00a0 When I realized that smiling makes me look younger and, acts as an instant facelift with a $0 price tag, I smiled big!\u00a0 Apparently, the muscles we use to smile lift the face, and create a more youthful appearance.If for any reason, you want to look older (which in this culture is unfathomable), frown; create more lines in your face and crow\u2019s feet around your eyes.<\/li>\n
  2. Smiling pulls people in<\/strong>.\u00a0 On the other hand, frowns, scowls and grimaces push people away.\u00a0\u00a0 On the other hand, smiles bring people in.\u00a0\u00a0 If you want to be alone, frown; if you want to hang out with folk, smile.<\/li>\n
  3. Smiling Changes Our Mood.<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cThey\u201d say (and I\u2019ve experienced it as well and I\u2019m guessing you have too) that smiling can change your mood for the better, as in shift you toward \u2018happy.\u2019\u00a0 But, if you are not quite done with feeling down n\u2019 out and don\u2019t want to move into happy, go for the puckered brow look.<\/li>\n
  4. Smiling is Contagious.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 You\u2019ve heard the expression, \u201cShe smiled and lit up the room.\u201d\u00a0 Maybe not, but it\u2019s true.\u00a0 Smiling can lighten the mood of others.\u00a0 Again, you have a choice and seemingly lots of power to enter a room and either move it toward \u2018happy\u2019 or \u2018crappy.\u2019\u00a0 Off the top of my head, I can\u2019t think of a solid reason that I might want to or would benefit from moving a group of people toward crankiness, but hey, maybe you can.<\/li>\n
  5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System.<\/strong>\u00a0 Let\u2019s agree that smiling can help you to feel more relaxed, and if so, then feeling more relaxed can have a happy affect on your immune system.\u00a0 You just might ward off the flu and colds by smiling.\u00a0\u00a0 Now, if you are just \u2018dying\u2019 to call in sick, and don\u2019t want to fake it, contort your facial muscles into an obviously unhappy position and see what happens.<\/li>\n
  6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure.<\/strong>\u00a0 Again, \u2018they\u2019 say that smiling produces a measurable reduction in blood pressure.\u00a0 If you want to test it out, then grab yourself one of those blood pressure monitor at home kits and take a reading when you feel like your head is about to explode, and then again, when smiling. \u00a0As for grimacing, frowning and worrying and monkeying around with your blood pressure, don\u2019t!\u00a0 It\u2019s too important a number to be glib about.<\/li>\n
  7. Smiling Is a Natural Drug.<\/strong>\u00a0 Smiling can help to release endorphins, natural painkillers and serotonin.\u00a0 These three \u2018releasing agents,\u2019 make us feed good.\u00a0 Again, off the top of my head (a funny visual like steam rising off the top), I can\u2019t come up with any good reason that one would not want to release natural happiness, unless maybe you\u2019ve got stock in the big pharmas?<\/li>\n
  8. Smiling Implies \u201cSuccessful Person\u201d In the House.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Because smiling makes a person look more confident, and the more confident you are (or appear to be; don\u2019t underestimate the power of perception),<\/em>the more likely you are to be promoted and\/or receive a pay raise.\u00a0 Of course, if poverty consciousness if your thing, or success equates to selling out, feel free to glower away!<\/li>\n
  9. Smiling Conveys Forgiveness<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 Are you ready to \u2018let it go\u2019 and move on?\u00a0 If you are, smiling sends a signal to the other that you are open to forgiving or asking for forgiveness.\u00a0\u00a0 If you are not ready to forgive, are determined to hold onto your anger, resentment, justified or not, then look hard and glare \u2018peeved.\u2019<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Enjoy or not \u2026 up to you!\u00a0 Again, either way, I support you in your mood of choice!<\/p>\n

    Spread the word \u2026 not the icing!<\/p>\n

    Janice
    \n<\/em><\/p>\n

    Life & Wellness Coach
    \nSelf-Help \/ Weight Loss Artist
    \nwise * fun * utterly useful<\/p>\n

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    Ever walk down the street or through the park, in deep thought, with a scowl on your face and a furrowed brow, and some stranger takes it upon himself to yell out to you, \u201cIt can\u2019t be that bad.\u00a0 How about a smile?\u201d I have, on more than one occasion!\u00a0 See, I\u2019m not the happy…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,2793,2417,20,2,70,213,3,60,1207,978,1,2100],"tags":[2898,3820,1139,3826,3825,2899,3875,163],"class_list":["post-3937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-happiness","category-happiness-tips-2","category-happy-living-tip","category-humor","category-inspiration","category-janice-taylor","category-mental-health","category-motivation","category-our-lady-of-weight-loss","category-spiritual-weight-loss-2","category-the-happiness-diet","category-weight-loss","category-weight-loss-success-coach","tag-benefits-of-smiling","tag-happiness","tag-happiness-diet","tag-janice-taylor","tag-our-lady-of-weight-loss","tag-power-of-the-smile","tag-weight-loss-success-coach","tag-wellness"],"yoast_head":"\n9 Reasons to Grimace or Smile ... either way, it's all good? 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