The Value of a Smile

Today I want to share with you an incredibly simple yet exceptionally powerful, and often underutilized tool we can all use to improve our relationships, our health, our businesses and the lives of those around us…the value of a smile.

As simple as this sounds, a smile is profound.

The expression we wear on our faces is of utmost importance, much more important than the clothes that we wear.

People like Charles M. Schwab understood its value and claimed nearly 100 years ago that his smile had been worth a million dollars to him.

Schwab acknowledged that it was a key part of helping others to like him, and that having others like him was an integral part of his financial success.

We have all heard it said that actions speak louder than words, and there may be no better example than the action of a smile.

It communicates things to others like, “I am happy, it’s good to see you, I am confident, I am secure.”

If you want to question the power of a smile, just look at the contagious effect a baby’s smile can have on an entire waiting room of people who, before the smiling baby entered the room, were a group of glum, impatiently waiting adults all tuned into their smartphones.

It can change the mood almost instantly, can’t it?

There are many benefits and reasons for each of us to make a conscious effort to smile more.

As Professor James V. McConnell, a psychologist at the University of Michigan stated, “People who smile tend to manage, teach and sell more effectively, and to raise happier children.”

Let’s also remember that a smile can often be sensed in our voice while talking on the phone or leaving a voice message.

Although we can’t directly control the way we feel, what we do have direct, conscious control over is our actions, and by choosing the correct actions (such as a smile), we can positively impact and regulate our feelings.

As Abraham Lincoln once stated, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Let’s make up our minds to choose to smile more this week.

This simple action will not only improve our own feelings and mood, but directly impact others in our lives that we share our smiles with.

Until next time, happy smiling!