Happy National Smile Week

“I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite” –Buddy the Elf. I think everyone could learn a lot from the iconic character Buddy the Elf, from the classic Christmas movie “Elf”.  Although it’s not quite time to break out the Christmas classics, it is time to take advantage of national smile week.

The second week of August is dedicated to everything smiles.

I challenge you this week to smile at a stranger. Gallivanting through life could be so much more enjoyable by spreading joy every day with a simple gesture.  Smiling has been proven to make you feel better because the motion of smiling affects certain muscles in your body that make you feel joyful or happy.

If that’s not enough to persuade you to smile at a stranger, take a look at some random facts that may get you to turn that frown upside down.

• Smiling is contagious.
• It gets others to trust you.
• It makes you sound friendly.
• Increases productivity.
• Produces empathy.
• Those who smile, live longer.
• You are more likely to get a promotion if you smile.
• People tend to smile more when surrounded by people than alone.
• Smiling is a universal sign of happiness.

Stran has been smiling for picture day the past couple weeks.  Here’s a sneak peak of some of the fun pictures we were able to capture!