This I Believe

I believe that smiling is the key to giving someone a brighter day. Smiles are contagious, and they pretty much need to be in my opinion. Far too many people don't have enough time in the day to just sit back and relax, and realize that not everything is as bad as it seems. These are the people who spend every minute worrying and stressing themselves out, in unbelievable amounts and truly do not realize how unhealthy that can be. These are the people who zip right past you when walking down a crowded street or just simply pass you in the hallway, without even the slightest acknowledgment. Not even a simple, “hello” is given, because some people seem to think they don't have enough time in the day to be gracious, or even smile for themselves. This is where I come in saying that a simple smile could start someone else's day off right, or maybe even yours. I believe that smiling is contagious and that it is one of the healthiest ways of relieving stress or turning a person's day sunny-side up. I believe in smiling.

Every day I wake up knowing that I live in a repetitive world, where almost everyone has a daily “routine” that they stick to, no matter what. For myself, I wake up, brush my teeth, get dressed, go to class, do some homework, hang out with friends, go to bed and wake up doing the exact same thing the next day plus or minus a few details. After a while, this routine starts getting old, making me cranky and just downright tired. However, the one thing that keeps me waking up, ready for anything, is the idea of unexpected fun, laughter or just a simple smile from someone, showing me that they care. When I am having a bad day, someone could just simply give me one of those “this is a make-you-feel-better-smirks,” and everything that was bothering me could halt for a moment. Then after receiving that caring little smile, I bring one upon my own face proving that almost 99 times out of 100, smiles are contagious. I also know that after someone smiles at me, revealing their inner laughter and their sense of care, I feel that I should eventually do the same to someone else, making a kind of chain reaction. Don't get me wrong, a smile is not going to totally change someone's world or anything drastic like that, but it will capture the attention of someone for at least a few seconds. In that few seconds, only a positive effect can be made on that person, and I doubt anyone would argue differently. So next time you pass someone in a hall, or walk by someone on a street, just simply stretch a little grin across your face and give one of those positive enforcing smiles. I am pretty sure you will get the effect I was talking about. Smiles are probably one of the smallest yet easiest ways to make someone's day a little better, and they are the most contagious form of positive feedback that a body can give. This is what I believe.

Lindsay Ashba

Lindsay Ashba