Smile is universal. We understand this body language from an early age. Anywhere on the planet. Isn't that crazy? And we can usually tell a real smile from a fake smile. Sometimes we fall for the fake smile, but usually we automatically get it right.
My wife always calls my fake smile a Charlie Brown smile. With this, the corners of the mouth are raised and pulled outwards. I show a lot of teeth and nothing happens in my eyes. I show this smile when I'm expressing my motivation for unnecessary housework or when I've screwed up something.
However, in a real smile, the eyes laugh along with the smile. Something happens here in the expression of the eyes. Smiling with the eyes is difficult to achieve at the push of a button. For it to appear really genuine, it must actually come from within. One also speaks of inner beauty. That could be what it means.
Smiles are the pennies of happiness.
Heinz Rühmann (German actor)
Smiling is not only an expression of joy, but also its trigger. Smiling immediately makes us happier and puts us in a better mood. At the same time, our brain doesn't care if there is a reason to laugh.
You may have heard that this trick can help you get back in a better mood on gloomy days. Simply look in the mirror for 30 seconds and smile. The muscles involved in smiling signal the brain about the grin, whereupon happy hormones are released. And while these endorphins are released, the release of the stress hormone adrenaline is suppressed. Ingenious, isn't it?
A smile costs less than electricity and gives more light.
