From just a few weeks after birth, we demonstrate that we feel happy by smiling. All through our lives and until our dying day we use the same process.
People are even heard to comment that they’d like to die with a smile on their face.
So take a look around. If smiling is so important, why aren’t more people doing it? The next time you walk down the street check out how many people are smiling.
Are you?
You won’t be surprised to find that it’s often a small minority who are finding something to smile about.
Even when there’s good news, people often don’t smile.
A smile is timeless.
A true smile, one that resonates from the heart, can lift a person and completely change the way they feel.
A smile is directly linked to your internal physiology.
In other words, when you smile, you connect with your entire nervous system and your whole body reacts in a different way from when you’re not smiling.
You have probably read or heard that it takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown (or similar). The truth is it actually takes 12 muscles to smile and just 11 to frown.
Anatomy aside, don’t people prefer smiles?
There has never been a more important time to learn how to smile.
In the movie Win a Date with Tad Hamilton the female star, Rosalee, has been loved her whole life by the person she thinks of as her best friend.
He knows so much about her that he can describe her ‘six different smiles’.
One when something flat out makes her laugh.
One when she’s laughing out of politeness.
There’s one when she makes plans.
One when she makes fun of herself.
One when she’s uncomfortable.
And one when …. one when she’s talking about her friends.
What are your six smiles? What are smiles when you deal with your colleagues and customers?
One when they first walk through the door.
One when you’re on the telephone.
One when you’re explaining your product.
One when you’re listening to a story they are telling.
One when you’re thanking them for their business.
One when you’re asking for referrals.
Stop! Wait a minute.
I’ve seen people who smile all the time and look so fake that you don’t trust them.
That’s why a smile has to come from the heart and be sincere.
So, what about the smile you use just because you are genuinely happy?
When somebody smiles sincerely, you can see it in their eyes.
The best way to practise smiling sincerely is to find some sincere things to smile about.
Look at things that make you happy and when you feel a smile on the inside, show it on the outside too.
If you’re near a mirror take a moment to have a look at what you do when you smile sincerely.
By having an awareness of how and when you smile, and by practising finding things to smile about on the outside, you’ll find it easier and easier to smile sincerely, every day.
The shortest distance between two people is a smile.
Be Brilliant!
Michael
PS This text was taken from my book ‘5 Star Service’. You can order it here
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