A few weeks ago, I was shopping in one of my favorite craft stores. As usual, I scanned the aisles for the latest must-haves in craft products. Being artsy is a big stress reliever for me although most of the time it’s about buying the stuff. From time to time, I actually use it.
Anyway, during my trip to the craft store, a mom who looked exhausted came towards me on the scrapbooking aisle. She was slowly pushing her son in a wheelchair. My guess is he was about 18 years old. He was unable to speak and had minimal motor skills. When I caught her eye, I gave her a smile and said “hi”.
She stopped in her tracks. She looked at me and said “Thank you for that. No one ever smiles at us.”
What she said made me both happy and sad. It made me happy I was able to infuse her day with a little bit of warmth. It made me sad that no one smiles at them. Per usual, my mind started wondering. Do people not smile at them because her son is in a wheelchair? Or do people smile at each other much at all?
I’m the smiling type. When I pass someone on the sidewalk or at the grocery store, I smile. For the next few weeks after this happened, I began to take notice. Am I the only one who is smiling at people?!? My field research came up with a definite answer- for the most part, YES!
Here’s what all of you need to know…smiling benefits you and those around you emotionally. When you smile, it releases a feel good chemical in your brain. It decreases your blood pressure and your heart rate. It relaxes your muscles. It helps fight stress. And smiling is contagious. So why wouldn’t you smile?!?
My challenge for all of you is to SMILE! You don’t even have to have a reason. Just let ‘em fly! Smile at your spouse, your neighbors, your co-workers, and especially your kids. You have the power to make a big difference in someone’s day. It may be just a smile, but it has so much power.
“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.” -Mother Teresa
With Heart,
Coach Sheri
Get the latest updates on our Facebook Community, Click HERE to Join.
