What story do you tell...Without words?

Have you ever been able to tell a person's story by their facial expression, whether it is tired, frustrated, or disengaged? While it is never wise to purely judge a book by its cover, isn't it true that most of the time, you can catch a very quick glance into the overall satisfaction and emotional state of an individual just by looking at his/her face?

Research suggests that, without even realizing it, we have a tendency to empathize using facial mimicry.  In other words, unconsciously, when we see someone's facial expression, we match their facial expression.  Furthermore, research suggests that when this occurs, instead of letting our emotions dictate our facial expressions, the opposite occurs. 


So, the research suggests that, for example, if we encounter someone who is obviously showing they are having a bad day, if we don't pay attention, we will not only mimic their facial expression, but we will also begin to experience a negative emotional feeling within ourselves in response to the other person's facial expression!  If we are not careful, the other person's facial expression may "ruin" our day from that point on.


The remedy?  The next time someone looks at you with an expression that lacks positivity, throw back a nice, big, strong smile.  At the very least, you will minimize the impact their facial expression has on your emotional well-being.  Hopefully, by flashing that smile, you'll cause them to mimic your facial expression, and hopefully they will experience an emotional boost from their own smile.


Some people, no matter what, will never return the smile.  I worked at a place where someone, no matter when I met them in the hallway, would never, ever smile.  Don't let these people ruin your day.  Just keep smiling, and telling yourself that you are in control of your own emotions, and you will not let someone else dictate your happiness.

One of my favorite quotes on smiling is this one:

"If you would like to spoil the day for a grouch, give him a smile."  ~Author Unknown

And, true to my own personal style, I really love this one:

"Keep smiling - it makes people wonder what you've been up to."  ~Author Unknown

With that, try to plaster a nice smile on your face, and see how many people you can provide an emotional boost to!

Best wishes,

Victor