''Smile and people will smile back to you'' - you have heard this slogan hundreds of times. The message is clear - you can make both others and yourself feel good just by smiling. You will be surprised to find out that it was scientifically proven that this is true because of a process called mimicry.
A study conducted in the Lund university in in Sweden exposed participants to images of facial expressions while they monitored their facial response. According to the study people were constantly mimicking each others expressions. So it is logical to conclude that when somebody smiles at you, it is likely that their muscles will maneuver in a smile too. Well, there are always exceptions like the grumpy neighbor, who never smiles at anybody.
The study also found out that emotions are contagious. As crazy as it may sound it is true. If you are feeling good, you will affect others, and vise versa. The bad news is that you will also channel your negative emotions. When certain muscle groups associated with a specific emotion are activated, the body reacts as though you are really experiencing that emotion. For example, if you mimic a smile, your body will release serotonin, dopamine and other hormones.
For this reason, when you smile at someone else, he/she smiles back at you. This process triggers a series of physiological reactions. We shouldn't forget that smiling has a number of positive effects, according to Dr. Mark Sibich:
- Affects the immune system.
- Lowers stress levels
- Improves other people's perception of you
- Makes people feel good
Having in mind all of these factors, you can appreciate the importance of smiling. This is why people, who seem joyful, are perceived in a better way. A smile is a winning strategy not only in your personal life but in your professional career as well. So try to smile whenever you feel like it. Don't worry that others won't respond well because they will.
Some people may have doubts when it comes to their smile, as they think their teeth look dull and yellowed. The consumption of certain types of food and drinks is among the factors which cause our teeth to lose their whiteness. This is not an excuse to look moody as you can always use a teeth whitening system. With the right product you will be able to smile without any embarrassment.
Lisa Dan