As a kid, I can still hear my mom telling me to “turn that frown upside down” or reminding me that “it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.” Admittedly, I’m not always anxious to put a smile on my face when I’m not in the mood to do so, but, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that while these quips from my mom might actually have some merit.
Turning the worst days around can sometimes be as simple as taking a long walk, putting on some of your favorite artist’s hits, and you guessed it- smiling. Smiling improves your mood and relieves stress - I am fairly certain we could all use a free and easy stress reliever these days.
According to Psychology today, smiling causes more pleasure in your brain than chocolate. While this sounds hard to believe – as I binge on early Halloween sweets – it’s for sure that frowning couldn’t compete with KitKats.
We’re approaching Flu season again (and yes, we're still in a pandemic), so help your immune system and lower your blood pressure by smiling- it is a good thing. The benefits of smiling don’t stop there either… not only does it impact the way you feel inside, it can make you look younger and feel more attractive. Moreover, smiling displays confidence which might even help you to get a promotion at work!
I don’t know about you, but when I see a joyful person I’m more likely to invite them for coffee or even just ask them for directions - they are much more approachable.
… and while smiling doesn’t just help you stay positive, it improves the mood of the people around you too. Fun fact about smiling- you use muscles you don’t usually use and there are 53 of them!
Smiling may happen in a flash, but it can last a lifetime. You can probably remember a time when you had a good belly laugh with friends - even now, years later - I do! Smiling is contagious (in a good way,) so pass on the good vibes!
It’s also interesting to note that scientific studies show that people have difficulty frowning when they look at other people who are smiling. So, the next time you see someone who looks a little down, give them a warm smile- it will benefit both of you!
As we approach the holiday season, be sure to smile and pass along the good vibes!
P.S. We’ve heard you… and a Shopkick survey confirms what you are telling us.. More than 22% of shoppers plan to do their shopping early this Christmas, so we started to put out Christmas this week at Piper and Dune. We have an amazing assortment of unique things. If you are in the Southbury, Connecticut area this holiday season, please be sure to pop in to Piper and Dune in Bennett Square at 134 Main Street South, #50E. Of course, everything in our store is available online at PiperandDune.com as well. Make sure you “like” and “follow” us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to keep track of what is new!
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Sarah, Chris, and The Piper and Dune Family
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https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/201605/the-9-superpowers-your-smile
https://www.verywellmind.com/top-reasons-to-smile-every-day-2223755
https://chainstoreage.com/study-consumers-will-shop-early-holiday-season