The Smile Project

The second part of my ‘smile project’ was to catch people smiling.  As stated above, I ran into the same problem getting the resolution off and running. Several days elapsed before noting folks’ friendliness became second nature to me.  For example, on the second day of the New Year, an older guy in sunglasses, bundled up in a sweatshirt, nodded his head as I passed him on my morning walk. I flipped up my hand in a courteous wave.  Yes, I smiled but not in a creepy way. I won’t bore you with the head counts, but here is a pattern I observed: for someone to smile back at you, you have to greet them first. If you do initiate pleasantness, the recipient may or may not attach a smile along with their salutation.  More often than not, the people I encountered either avoided my smiles, or if they did react positively there was a lag time. My takeaway is that friendliness can be suspicious behavior.

While smiling at strangers can be dicey business, I noted something else.  Handing out a quick grin to a spouse, doorman, or the checkout girl at Jewel/Osco or Publix had more comfortable results (I did not include Whole Foods here, because those workers are always smiling, probably laughing at all of us paying such ridiculous prices for a brown bag of organics).  A pleasant smile and greeting definitely improved the outcome of these social interactions. So here’s another takeaway. Familiar faces participated more willingly in my smile project. It may be presumptuous, but I’d like to think that pleasant exchanges have a ‘pay it forward’ momentum. Perhaps smiling has the potential to change the outlook of a stranger’s day.  I know that when I receive a friendly acknowledgment to my cheery greeting, I feel better.

So that’s the progress of my ‘smile project’.  I smile as a way to start the day. It’s a resolution or intention of positivity.  If you decide to take up my resolution, here are some tips. Start out by seeking eye contact with your fellow human. If your glance is returned, let the corners of your mouth creep up. Best not to open your encounters with a magnanimous pearly white grin.  That tends to set people on their heels. Finish off your soft smile with a greeting, such as: Hello or Have a nice day!, then keep walking.

The ‘smile project’ has made me conscious of how pleasant a day can commence. For me, it has improved the likelihood that the day will continue to progress in a positive manner (although often there’s a guy or gal whose driving irks me out of my zen).  If smiling at strangers isn’t your thing, and all you can muster is a grin at your own reflection, you still have accomplished something. You’ve eased those tight facial muscles while reminding yourself of the importance of positivity.

So smile.  Try making it a habit.  Make it a game to find people and events that are worthy of glorious facial expression.  You never know where your positivity will take you or others!

I’d like to hear about your efforts.  Please share your tales from the field.  Just remember to keep the feedback positive!

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