Why You Should Be Smiling Everyday

Happy FRI-YAY, beautiful people. Today’s post is all about how to gain confidence in your smile, and 8 surprising reasons you should be smiling every single day, no matter what. I had no idea how important it was to keep myself smiling and practice self-care DAILY to make sure that no matter what I was going through, I kept chin up. As I was researching this post, I realized that I need to do a better job of making others smile, too! Keep reading to find out why you should be smiling EVERYDAY.

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Why You Should Be Smiling Everyday

This post is sponsored by Living Earth Market. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Reason #1: Instant mood booster.

I honestly didn’t believe this one before testing it out for this post. I always thought “what good is a smile if I’m feeling like total crap”. Well, with that attitude, it was no wonder it didn’t work for me. So I worked hard this past month to really force a smile when I was feeling grumpy. To smile at strangers, at my family, at the cat, even at myself in the mirror. And I’m not going to lie — it works. It makes me feel better right away.

Reason #2: Stress reducer.

This one I was also skeptical of. How could even a fake smile reduce stress? But it turns out science is a funny (and freaking awesome) thing. Your body will almost instantly slow your heart rate and release chemicals to speed up your stress recovery. So, SMILE when you take that big test: it will help you keep your stress levels in check.

Reason #3: Smiles make you more approachable & trustworthy.

Authentic smiles in situations when people are meeting each other for the first time more often ended in real connections and good experiences between the two people. You are more likely to make new friends, land that important job and seem more competent in your day to day tasks. The bigger your smile, the more connections you will make!

Reason #4: Smiling actually helps retrain your brain — for the better.

When you smile, your mind moves to a more positive space. It encourages positive thinking, which leads to more real, authentic happiness levels. When you frown, it has the opposite affect. Your brain gets caught in “negativity loops”, which can hurt your brain and cause long term damage. No bueno.

Reason #5: Smiling is contagious.

Have you ever noticed that MOST of the time, when you smile at someone, they smile back? Smiles are scientifically proven to be almost as contagious as yawns! You could turn someone’s entire day around with ONE smile. Get out of your shell a little bit and get comfortable with smiling at people. Your family, cashiers, customer service employees, your waitress, or complete strangers. You never know when someone needs that little dose of happiness.

Reason #6: Smiles actually build your body up — from the cells.

SCIENCE comes back again here (this is literally the best. I. LOVE. SCIENCE). Your cells are smart, and they can more easily decipher a dangerous and stressful situation, correct the chemicals in your body and repair them. Smiling also relaxes cells, which is important in combating certain diseases, such as cancer.

Reason #7: Smiling boosts your creativity & productivity.

This is REALLY important for me. Sometimes I get into a funk and I sit in front of my computer and furrow my brows trying to type, read or come up with an idea of some sort. When I take a deep breath and smile instead, I work easier and faster. If you don’t like your job, this could be why you are feeling stinted in your position. The more you frown or feel annoyed, your productivity sinks lower. Try smiling at your friend in the cubicle across from you every now and then to boost your productivity levels.

Reason #8: Women who smile more have longer and happier lives, according to a yearbook study from a few years back.

This can be tough for those of us with RBF, but we have to try to be better. I know I want a longer and happier life, and if smiling more can help get me there, I am all for it! You can actually retrain your brain to remember how to smile if you have trouble (either due to a mental illness, hard life situations and many more reasons). By remembering feelings of joy and practicing your smile, you can help your brain rebuild those connections.

SO. How can you get that beautiful smile?

Besides practicing your pretty smile in the mirror every day, another way to make sure you FEEL AMAZING every time you smile is by keeping your pearly whites just that — WHITE. I tried out the Living Earth Marketing Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitener to see if I could feel more confident in my smile, and no surprise: it actually works. I never had braces, so I feel good about how straight my teeth are. BUT a source of stress for me was my tooth color. I have never felt my teeth were white enough. I’ve done all kinds of whitening treatments, but after I gave my gums a 2nd degree burn right before my wedding trying to whiten my teeth at home, I stopped trying.

BEFORE/AFTER:

THEN. I found about about this activated charcoal teeth whitener. It didn’t have bleach, so it would be safer for my gums. All you have to is brush your teeth with it. Easy enough right? WELL. The proof is in the pudding, and I think it did an amazing job. I can actually see a difference in my smile, which is great, because I need to start smiling a LOT more. 

SHOP THE ACTIVATED CHARCOAL TEETH WHITENER HERE

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 A positive outlook and a perfect smile…that’s all anyone needs, amiright??? Science proves it, and I’m going to back it up with my own personal testimony, we should ALL smile more. Make a pact with yourself today to smile a little more and stress a little less. I’ll be your accountability partner. 😉

PIN IT FOR LATER:

Let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever tried activated charcoal teeth whitener!! I’m excited to see how it worked for you, too!