I’m a self-confessed people watcher, it’s a bit of a game, guessing what each person’s story is.
My chosen times to people watch are in the car on the way to work, in a coffee shop and on the train.
Some people may think people watching is a bit creepy, but I believe we all do it to an extent and I find it gives me inspiration.
But what is the main trend I find – lack of smiling faces. Most of us are guilty of not smiling enough and we all need to smile a bit more because smiling is contagious, no truer words were ever spoken.
But what other super powers does a smile have?
Smiling elevates your mood and sense of wellbeing. Each time you smile the movements in our muscles send signals to our brain and these signals release endorphins and serotonin which are ‘feel good’ chemicals for the brain. These chemicals make us feel happy and reduce perceptions of pain when they are released.
Smiling is good for your immune system; your body is more relaxed when you smile which contributes to good health and a stronger immune system.
It is said (and I agree) that you are better looking when you smile, people treat you differently you are viewed as attractive, reliable, relaxed and sincere, its is even said that smiling makes you look younger.
Smiling apparently induces more pleasure in the brain than chocolate. It is said that smiling can generate the same level of brain stimulation as 2000 bars of chocolate. I have no idea how this study was conducted but think about the party your brain would be having if you were eating 2000 bars of chocolate whilst smiling!
I would love the entire population to read this blog so that when I travel into work on Monday morning everyone will be wearing their happy faces and my people watching stories will all be positive ones.
Sadly though, not everyone on Monday morning will be smiling – mainly because my blog isn’t going to go global but also because we aren’t always going to be happy at the same time. Some people will be travelling into work on Monday after having argument with their partner, some people will be grieving after the loss of a loved one, some people will be feeling under the weather, some people may be stuck in a job that they don’t enjoy so Monday mornings are tough for them.
And then there’s the person who doesn’t like their smile, so they do everything in their power to hide it. Improving your smile can be a beneficial investment as making the most of your smile is good for you and those around you.
Sometimes there’s no reason to smile but I’ll smile anyway because guess what?
Smiling is free and if it makes one person’s day that bit better – I’ve achieved something.
