Jan. 4, 2006 - "A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like Medicine"

• A smile is a universal expression of happiness and recognized as such by all cultures

• A smile is the most frequently used facial expression

• It takes as few as five pairs of facial muscles and as many as all 53 to smile

• Regardless of the precise number of muscles used, smiling causes far fewer muscles to contract and expand than frowning

• Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better

• Even ‘faking’ a smile can lead to feeling happier

• People are born with the ability to smile (They don’t copy the expression, even babies who are born blind, smile)

• Babies reserve special smiles (Duchenne smiles of joy and happiness) for their loved ones

• A newborn shows a preference for a smiling face over a non-smiling face

• Women smile more than men

• Younger people smile more than older people.

• There are 18 different kinds of smiles used in a variety of social situations

• Human beings can differentiate between the ‘felt’ (Duchenne) smile (of joy and happiness) and the social smile – ‘it’s in the eyes’ (literally)

• A smiling person is judged to be more pleasant, attractive, sincere, sociable, and competent than a non-smiling person

I used to not be a smiler.  My mother would lean over to me and say "Honey, you need to smile" to which I would reply, "I thought I was smiling".  I obviously wasn't doing a good job of it or she wouldn't have said what she did!  


I remember when I first started paying attention to how much I smiled.  I was 11 years old and I was at the orthodonist's office, having x-rays done so the doctor could put braces on my teeth.  The lady who was taking the x-rays was a kind and motherly woman with short, curly blond hair named Bev.  She had a gentle soft-spoken way about her that I liked.  I remember all of these things about her because she told me something that impacted me in a way she never would have guessed. 


As she was taking my "pictures" I had to make all sorts of different mouth movements to get the best images of my teeth.  When we were all finished, she looked at me and said, "You know Myklin, you have a very beautiful smile.  When you get your braces off that smile is going to be even more lovely than it already is."  Now, maybe she told every insecure, gangly 11-year old girl this when she was taking her x-rays, or maybe I was the only one, I don't know... But all I do know is that what she said made me stop and think.  I couldn't believe that there was first of all ANYTHING beautiful about me and second of all that it would be something as simple as a SMILE!

Wow!  I wasn't sure if she was right, or even if she meant what she said but from then on I started trying to smile a little more... (You know, just as an experiment! ) And to my surpise it felt good!  People started smiling back!  I realized that it made me feel better, even if I wasn't in a good mood to begin with.  Soon it was coming naturally to my face more often than not.  I started doing it more and more until I realized.... I couldn't stop. *grin*  I'm not joking! 


It has become a way of life for me.  Now I don't smile because the kind lady name Bev told me that I had a pretty smile, I do it because I can't help it.  It's an outpouring of the joy that God has placed in my heart!  I love to encourage and uplift people and one of the simplest ways in the world to do that is to give them a real smile.    I've seen such gloomy, pitiful faces on people in the stores vanish away with the kind gesture of a quick and genuine smile sent their way.  What a blessing to be able to share that gift with others!!

Duchenne (true, not forced) smiles are gorgeous on anyone, at any age!!



  

   


  (Hee hee, did I say "anyone"?? *LOL*)

Ayway, that's why I always encourage the young girls I teach and work with through classes, workshops and the course I wrote to simply just try to SMILE!  Smiling is such a beautiful expression of what is in your heart... You can tell so much by a person's smile (especially if you're obsessed with studying them like I am!! *LOL*). 


Look at Jesus Christ's joy and how He expressed it to others...  Now, how hard can it be to share a bit of that joy of Jesus with other people around you by simply opening your mouth, showing a few teeth and smiling a little?


C'mon... Give it a try!  You'll be glad you did. 

- Post A Comment!

Comments

Jan. 4, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

Hi Myklin !!!!!!!!
What a sweet post ... I couldn't help but *Smile* when I read it !!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) And the pictures were precious !!!!!!!!!!!!! It made me think of a little song I with my Sunday School class on Sunday ... "You can smile when you can't say a word, you can smile when you cannot be heard, you can smile when it's cloudy or fair, you can smile any time anywhere"!!!!
Keep smiling ...
Jodi

� Permanent Link

Jan. 5, 2006 - Amen, Sista!! = )

Posted by Jedi4sweet

Love this post of yours!!! ; )
I'm a smiler, too!! ; )
Great post!! And great smiley pics!!!

I finally realized who you remind me of (your picture, I mean)
You look kind of like Rebecca Gayheart...except you're much prettier!!
Just had to say that cuz it took me awhile to figure it out!! = )

� Permanent Link

Jan. 5, 2006 - Smiles and Actresses

Posted by heartofvirtue

Jodi:

Thank you!! I'm glad it could bring a smile to your face... :o) :oD Your little Sunday School song sounded cute! (Although I wish I could hear you singing it... that would be fun! *grin*) I learned one a long time ago too... "A smile, a smile, to make this life worthwhile! A smile, precious smile Jesus gives me! And someday I know up to Heaven I will go, where I'll thank Jesus for the smile He gives me!" (If you don't know the tune, then I suppose you can just make one up in your head... *lol*) Take Care!

Leslie:

Hello, you fellow smiler you! *grin* Aren't you the sweetest??! I wasn't sure who Rebecca Gayheart was so I had to look her up... Why, thank you for the compliment!! No one has ever told me that before. A few people have told me I remind them of Emmy Rossum from the new version of Phantom of the Opera, and my husband tells me sometimes I laugh like Julia Roberts! *giggle* Other than that, people don't usually liken me to famous people! *LOL* Thank you again for the kind comments, m'dear!

Keep smiling!!! :o)

� Permanent Link

Jan. 7, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by blogginaddict

Wonderful post - natural, cheerful smiles are the best for any occasion!
=D
(In answer to your comment on my blog, I completely agree with you. Book Skippers *or Page Skippers, it's 1:00am and I can't think o.o* Anonymous has been created! I'll bring the pizza and soda to the weekly meetings)

� Permanent Link

Jan. 9, 2006 - Cheeeeeeeeeeeese!

Posted by Momwtrmn

I was smiling just reading it! And seeing those beautiful faces ... I actually let out a giggle! I love smiling, too! And everyone knows it! LOL.

I remember being 14 at my friend's house (I'm 32 now). She is blonde with blue eyes, I'm a brunette with dark brown eyes. She looked at me and said, "I don't understand it. Why do your eyes sparkle the way they do? Mine are lighter and should sparkle more!"

I think it's the heart's attitude that comes out through the eyes, ya know? When smiling is a part of who you are, your whole face lights up!

Great post! Fantastic pics! I may end up linking to it on my blog. Have a great day!

~Christi

� Permanent Link

Jan. 13, 2006 - smilinlg

Posted by homelearnin

Thanks for your encouraging smile pictures - a good way to start my day - a smile goes a long way! Jill

� Permanent Link

Jan. 13, 2006 - Smiling Thoughts

Posted by heartofvirtue

Blogginaddict: YES! I'll be there!! *LOL*

Christi: Thank you so much for sharing!! What a sweet little story... Our eyes DO reflect what's in our hearts! I praise God that you are such a joyful person! The world needs more people like you. Keep smiling!!

Jill: I'm so thankful this could bring you a smile this morning!! A little smile DOES go a loooooong way. :o) TAKE CARE!

� Permanent Link