If you're happy and you know it smile even if you're not!

   By rosepowell  Oct 30, 2011

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When I was younger and more free spirited, I remember making silly faces in the car window as my mom drove past people on the road. Some would look at me as if I were a little insane; other's would laugh, smile and crack up. It felt good to be that free and uplift someone, but I didn't realize just how much it could help someone. Today, you could be in the worst mood, feel terrible and miserable and look it too, but then a stranger comes along and says "Good Morning" or "Hello" or even "Thank you" with a joyful grin and instantly you find yourself smiling back. That is the power of positivity. Doesn't your mood change instantly? Doesn't it feel good to smile? We spend so much time being miserable and sulking and sometimes throwing ourselves wastefully into a pity party, when all we needed to do was to smile.

Well let's put that into practice today, in honor of Wold Smile Day that occurred on October 7th! What is World Smile Day you ask? World Smile Day was created by Harvey Ball, when he realized his invention of the smiley face symbol (in 1963) he created, might be "over commercialized" leaving it's actual meaning, getting lost in translation. So he declared that the first Friday in October EVERY YEAR should be World Smile Day, a day committed to Smiles and Kind Acts, because "The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion. Harvey’s idea was that for at least one day each year, neither should we.”! Even though Harvey Ball passed away in 2001, his legacy was carried on through a foundation created in his honor called The Harvey Ball Smile Foundation and every year they are the Official Sponsors for World Smile Day.

How neat is that tidbit of information? I didn't realize before becoming a blogger that there were so many different, yet fantastic days to learn about. I was walking the other day feeling miserable, I've been sick all week, so I went outside to try to get some fresh air through the parking lot and I came across a small token on the ground. Anytime I find something on the ground, be it a ring, penny or anything, I think of it as a message sent directly to me. This small token said "Smile Daily", it appears that this was a key chain of some sort at one time or another. But now it was my treasure to find and hold. As I picked it up and placed in my hand to snap a picture, I observed that the back had been "damaged" but the front, where it clearly said "smile daily”, looked to be in pristine condition. I did... I immediately smiled content with my treasure and I felt better in that moment.

So as I returned to my office, knowing that I still felt miserable and looked it too, I smiled, I felt uplifted, people were holding doors for me and elevators and I kept smiling, saying thank you, the day seemed to look up with just that smile. I've often heard the statement "Smile because you never know who's watching" and there are so many implications of that, but a smile can go further than you've ever imagined.

But don't just take it from me, smiling is contagious, just try it, you'll see! Today we honor Harvey Ball and his fantastic creation of World Smile Day, but every day we should celebrate life and living by letting the sunshine beam from your face with a smile.

For more details and information please visit: http://www.worldsmileday.com/ you will find ways that you too, can participate in and Celebrate World Smile Day with your acquaintances, co-workers, friends and loved ones.

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Here's to World Smile Day and to Smiling Daily,

Rose