The power of a smile!

dennis22554dennis22554
edited April 2025 in General

I understand that a simple smile once in while has remarkable health and social benefits yet, it is something I see less often unfortunatelyj. People on my daily walk to a DC office seem to be less happy than
In the past and I wonder why that is? A simple smile brightens the day of everyone a round the smile, it's good for your health, and it makes you more attractive, finally it's contagious. I wish people o e c wwpould smile more often!

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Comments

  • IronicMaidenIronicMaiden

    A smile won't fix why they're unhappy. It would be a band-aid on a broken leg.

    More than that I can't say here.

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    Still..a c smile has the power to brighten a day even if it us only short lived...who know d..it c would kick start s someone making b them realize ther e life b isn't just hat bad after all...a simple smile is very powerful when genuinne

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    It certainly doesn't hurt to try it

  • MTexMTex

    It's normal to greet someone with a smile where I'm from. Most older people also greet the people sitting in a waiting room when they enter & everyone responds. I didn't realize it's not something that's done everywhere until I started traveling.

    When I would travel to other places I would smile at people on the street or greet the entire room when I entered and everybody would look at me strange. I didn't realize how much I smiled at people until I went to a country where that was seen as suspicious. It was hard for me to break that habit.

    I still smile at people but wait for eye contact to see if they are receptive to it.

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    I would keep the habit n..have I ng lived in Spain, Puerto Rico
    , and Southern Ca..there b is a distinct difference...there is something to be said by being created by a warm smile in the morning from som e one who know o t not..just a b wonderful way to b start the day...keep smiling!

  • IronicMaidenIronicMaiden

    .who know d..it c would kick start s someone making b them realize ther e life b isn't just hat bad after all

    Except when it's an empty platitude, completely devoid of understanding or compassion. But thank you for this fine example of toxic positivity. :)

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    No one likes da b fake smile or personality

  • IronicMaidenIronicMaiden

    How did you get "fake" from what I said?

  • TxTomTxTom
    edited April 2025

    I agree with you, @dennis22554

    Smiles are contagious. A smile doesn't cost anything. And a smile can make people feel better.

    Unfortunately, a smile can't help everybody. Some are only happy in their misery.

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    Tom..I agree..you just b had the courage to b say it..iron..no comment I made was directed at you........the post is entirely positive

  • KatotaKatota

    There's nothing wrong with a smile here and there. 😁

    But I don't care for people to tell me "you should smile more", especially from men. That gets on my nerves! 🙄😔

    Just because I am not walking around grinning from ear to ear every day and all day, doesn't mean I not "happy" or that I am "miserable". Lol

    No. It just means that I am not an ALL DAY SMILER, okay? 😌😊😏

    At previous jobs, that I have held for years I was told that I "don't speak", "hard to approach" and that I should "smile more". Lol! I'm there to do my job, get a paycheck and go home. That's it!🖐️

    Lol! 😆

    Alright fine! 🤷

    I'll smile on my way to the time clock, how about that?😁👍

    So far at this job, nobody hasn't bothered me "about smiling more" and I greatly appreciate that. 😁

  • KatotaKatota

    And don't smiles create wrinkles? 😆

    I'm frowning down my wrinkles, dammit!


    😆😆😆😆

  • IronicMaidenIronicMaiden

    @dennis22554 I didn't think it was directed at me. But it did look like a response to what I said.

    To clarify, if you have no idea what someone is dealing with, smiling at them and especially telling them to smile is an empty gesture. Toxic positivity. And you yourself said you don't know why people aren't happy.

    As an example, if someone is facing the loss of their own life or the life of a loved one, a smile will probably be counterproductive.

  • dennis22554dennis22554
    edited April 2025

    Can c we not just have a nice forum discussion..koata..im prepa red for wack on the head with a baseball bat...but..youo do have a nice smile! Also..when younger when people asked me to smile..I used to respond by saying that..I don't smile on comman

  • KatotaKatota

    @dennis22554 Dennis, this is a nice forum discussion.😊 I'm not here to argue about not smiling, I just don't 'force smiling" on others as many have done to ME throughout my life. 😁

    Smiling should be a choice, not a right. 😁😊

    Also..when younger when people asked me to smile..I used to respond by saying that..I don't smile on comman

    👍👍👍👍

    And that's a great response, because you shouldn't. Smile when YOU wanna smile! 😁☺️

    koata..im prepa red for wack on the head with a baseball bat...but..youo do have a nice smile!

    Lol! 😆

    Thanks though you have done nothing to deserve at baseball bat to the head. 😁🫂

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    Everything i said about b smiling stands...we should try to do it more often..katota..not to scare you but you understand me..and just to note..your smile made me smile as I am sure it will with anyone that sees it

  • [Deleted User]WriterGF (deleted user)

    Depends on where you are. There are cities where it is generally unwise to even make eye contact with anyone. I live in a suburb and would say I see people smiling rarely. People are depressed and worried and fearful.

  • pmvinespmvines
    edited April 2025

    I try to not worry about why others smile or don't . Everyone has their personal reasons for how they feel or their facial expressions. And whether or not I see someone smiling doesn't impact the way I feel about myself or my surroundings so it isn't an issue for me. They aren't here to make me feel better. And a brief second in time is merely a tiny glimpse of a day in the life for somebody. They could have very well been cackling and grinning all day long prior and are tired now.

  • dennis22554dennis22554
    edited April 2025

    It's sad not being able to smile....Noone is demanding it..just suggesting it would make b the world a better place....and as far as me..ill smile when and where I please..no neighborhood intimadates me having visited som e very dangerous areas of the world..smiling brighten the day adding a little more sunshine b ine to the day..it just does

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    However as Tom stated..some people just chose to be miserable

  • TxTomTxTom

  • _marC_marC

  • pmvinespmvines
    edited April 2025

    I don't think anyone is saying that smiling is bad. Nobody is arguing about that. Nobody is saying that anybody is in the wrong for being in gung ho agreement with this premise. If people aren't smiling so much these days, I would say that the more important thing to ponder is why aren't more people smiling. That is the bigger question. Not just to generally complain about their lack of smiles.

  • TxTomTxTom

  • dennis22554dennis22554

    Im not cmplaining..just suggesting..the power of a simple m e smile is amazing

  • IronicMaidenIronicMaiden

    some people just chose to be miserable

    This is a good example of victim blaming.

  • dennis22554dennis22554
    edited April 2025

    I m such a horrendous evil pierson why is it....I am so content.... confused? I wish everyone could be happy!

  • pmvinespmvines

    @dennis22554

    I was making a general statement. Wasn't saying you are complaining.

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    A lot of murderers actually smile when arrested and/or for their mug shot. So yeah, flash that killer smile.

    I would rather laugh than smile. Smiles are quite often performative and phony, while laughs are generally sincere. It is hard to fake laugh.

  • [Deleted User]WriterGF (deleted user)

    There are lots of reasons people may not be smiling at strangers other than "choosing to be miserable." When my life was going great, I wasn't smiling at strangers because I'm an introvert and it's not me. Now I have too many worries to be bothered.

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