Motivational Monday - Just Smile

Just smile...

Did you know that it is a scientific fact that smiling reduces stress that our body and mind feel.  You can compare it to getting a good night's sleep.  Smiling helps generate more positive emotions within you.  On average, children smile 400 times a day - while the average adult only 20.  Even happy people only smile 40-50 times a day.  Our brains can even detect "fake" smiles.  You know the forced turned lips - what the Grinch calls a smile.  When I see people doing this...I feel so sorry for them.  Where is their JOY?

I went to Milwaukee to visit Anna this past weekend.  Smiling is easy for me - I genuinely am a happy person.  However, I decided to do a little test on those that crossed my path.  I smiled....I smiled at everyone.   

My little test/study reflects...if you smile at someone....they will smile back.  Everyone I smiled at...smiled back.  I saw grumpy people...but, made a point of their seeing me...so I could smile at them.  A few of these people, at first, gave me a puzzled look...but, gave in and smiled.  I even added a few "good mornings" "how is your day going?" "boy, this is a fun estate sale"  "did you find anything good?"  Complete strangers...who in turn, smiled and answered.  Now, how hard was that?!?  

We stopped at this estate sale.  It was raining and the driveway was downhill and wet.  An older grumpy looking gentleman, walking with a cane, carrying a bag full of items looked like he was going to fall.  Others were in the driveway, coming and going from this sale, too busy to see him.  I walked up to the gentleman and said "where is your car?"  He looked at me like I was crazy..."why?"  "Let me help you, I will carry your bag."  (smiling).  He said "oh, thank you."  As I put his bag in his van, I saw other bags full of old clocks.  I turned to him and said "are you the clock man?"  He smiled back and said "I sure am."    

Inside the sale, there was a strange looking guy talking with the check out lady..."Ann?, Sandy?, Lucy?, Francis?" --- he was trying to guess her name.  I am just OCD enough to join in.  I started throwing out my guesses.  The guy looked at me and smiled and started laughing, as we both took turns guessing.  One of the other workers yelled "Pam, come get this box."  I shouted out "Pam!"  To which she nodded...the guy said "how did you know?"  I said "you weren't listening...someone just called to her, I heard her name."  

When we were checking out, the lady said to me, "are you with that guy?"  I said "No, I don't know who he is.  I just wanted to play the game too."  She looked at me kind of funny...and I smiled....she smiled too!   She even gave me a deal on my pile of items.  


If there is one thing I know, smiling makes one happy.  A smile costs nothing - it is something we can give to others - and, in turn, it will make you happy as well.  

Now, get out there and smile!  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Linked to:  http://strangersandpilgrimsonearth.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-art-of-home-making-mondays-please.html