Today's Kindness #185: October 7, 2022
😊Smile!😊
Each year on the first Friday in October, World Smile Day devotes a day to smiles and spreading random acts of kindness.
If someone smiles at you, you're bound to smile back. A smile often expresses a feeling, encouragement to someone, or serves as a greeting. If you don't smile enough, #WorldSmileDay is the perfect day to start.
There are many benefits of smiling:
- Improves mood
- Lowers blood pressure
- Relieves stress
- Betters relationships
- Boosts the immune system
- Relieves pain
- Increases life expectancy
Who wouldn't want all those benefits? All it takes is smiling. And the more often, the better!
On World Smile Day, people worldwide are encouraged to do an act of kindness and make one person smile. The Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation holds special events on World Smile Day each year. The day is wildly popular in Worcester, MA, the birthplace of the yellow smiley face.
Through the years, the foundation hosted numerous unique events including, the world's largest human Smiley face, balloon releases, choral performances, sidewalk chalk activities, college concerts, circus performers, and pie-eating contests.
If you don't live in Worcester, you can organize your own World Smile Day event. You can celebrate the day in other ways, too.
- Do a random act of kindness for someone.
- Use a smiley face emoji on every text you send.
- Spread cheer by handing out smiley face stickers.
- Give a smile to everyone you come across.
- Tell someone a funny joke.
- Play happy songs like "Happy" by Pharrell Williams or "Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin.
- Take a selfie of your smile and share it on social media with #WorldSmileDay. And whatever you do, have a nice day!
"There is fear when frowning. There is love when smiling."
~ Maxime Lagacé