“A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear.” - Unknown
Hey everybody! Thank you for flying in to check out another one of my entries! I always value everyone who takes the time to read my entries! Every reader is much appreciated, and there is more to come! We are back with some mental health/psych-related entries; this entry focuses on the benefits of smiling😁. I hope y’all enjoy it! Fly safe now!
I’ll be starting my Fall semester almost any day now and I am NOT looking forward to more schooling. I am not even going to lie to y’all, I am so tired. It’s been an uphill battle since I stepped into grad school fresh out of my undergrad. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love working with my clients and gaining the knowledge to support other people, but damn I could use a break. Sometimes just pulling myself up to do basic things seems like a chore, but even in moments of complete exhaustion, I found a smile can perk me up just a bit. Okay, this might be very “main character” of me, but I love looking at myself while I get ready to start my day. Something about taking care of my skin and teeth has always been a thing for me (I swear I spend at least 15 minutes brushing my teeth lmfao). Once I brush my teeth, wash my face, and exfoliate, I feel like the baddest bitch in a “Clean and Clear” commercial. Then there it is, a smile that brightens up the room.
During my time as an undergrad, I took a positive psychology course that literally focused on what is going well for people and how to use that to support their life experiences. One day, we reviewed how smiles can play a role in positive experiences in life. Now when I say smile, I am not talking about that smile that you give to that one family member you don’t really like or that one random stranger that holds that door for you. But, I am talking about that smile that makes your cheeks hurt from how big it is. A smile that makes your eyes squint to the point that they are almost closed. In positive psychology, that wholesome smile is known as the Duchenne smile or D smile. This smile activates the zygomaticus major muscle during positive experiences that raise our cheeks and squint our eyes. Positive psychology found that smiles elevate our mood, support connecting to others, short-circuit threats, and promote cooperation and laughter. Smiles that do not activate the zygomatic muscle (like customer service smiles) can contribute to negative emotional experiences.
Come to find out, smiles are important to our survival as humans. As babies, children use body language to determine smiles as acceptance from their caregivers. Studies have shown that babies are likely to interact with activities due to their mothers’ smiles. Overall, when we see smiles, they trigger dopamine that supports us in feeling calm and content. Smiles can help us regulate and cope even with some of the hardest things in life. Just like a cozy blanket, a warm smile can give us that comfort and reassurance that makes us feel safe. Who knew that a smile could do so much?
I’m a big anime nerd, so when I was reviewing my notes about this, all I could think about was One Piece and its connection to smiles. For those who haven’t seen or read One Piece, I highly recommend it if you have the time and enjoy an amazing story. But, interestingly, the main character Luffy and many other strong characters have a middle initial “D”. Each character with the “D” initial has this very interesting fate and the biggest smiles in the face of struggle (even death). I use anime like this as a comfort show, and now I find myself always smiling the minute I see Luffy’s big ole smile on my phone's lock screen.
A smile is a universal action of light. No matter where you go on Earth, a bright smile sparkles even in the darkest of areas. So whenever you can get a chance to smile, wear it. Your smile looks amazing on you😉.
~Cheyenne
Peterson, C. (2006). A primer in positive psychology. Oxford University Press.
Stanborough, R.J. (2019). Smiling with your eyes: What exactly is a Duchenne smile? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/duchenne-smile