There’s Magic in Your Smile

Scientists and many spiritual teachers alike agree that the simple act of smiling can transform you and the world around you. Research shows us that a smile is contagious. It can make us appear more attractive to others. It lifts our mood, as well as the moods of those around us and it can even lengthen our lives. So before you read on, bring a nice, genuine smile on that face of yours. Researchers classify smiles as being of two types: standard smiles, where only the mouth shapes the smile, and genuine or Duchenne smiles, where the muscles around the mouth and the eyes create the smile. (The latter was named after French neurologist Guillaume Duchenne, who used electrophysiology to show how truly happy smiles also use the muscles around the eyes.) The act of smiling activates neural messaging that benefits your health and happiness. Charles Darwin explored the nature of smiling in his book The Expression of the Emotions.  "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." —Thich Nhat Hanh