Happy World Smile Day! Why you should keep smiling, even through your mask
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, 2020 has given us plenty of reasons not to smile.
In fact, we’d probably all love to be able to text the universe, “ummmm wrud???”
But maybe, just maybe, we could flip our collective perspective. Because if you’re reading this, odds are you’re safe, healthy, and whole. And darned if that’s not worth smiling about.
This Friday, October 2 is World Smile Day. And by now, you should be no stranger to the fact that we love smiles, and believe in their power.
We thought we’d share a few more reasons to smile today, even through our face masks.
(Remember: We’re wearing these masks to take care of ourselves, and our loved ones. )
We’ll hit you with that perspective shift again.
You know what’s remarkable about the pandemic? This is the biggest worldwide shared experience of any of our lifetimes.
We’ve shared the monumental changes to our work culture, our personal lifestyles, and our kids’ school. We share the uncertainty of when there will be a vaccine and treatment. We share the responsibility of making safe choices for ourselves, and for others.
We help each other out and lift each other up.
We’re in this together. How can that not make you smile?
People can still tell that you’re smiling, even with a mask on
We get to thank the legendary Tyra Banks for this one: The Smize. AKA, smile with your eyes.
When we’re shopping grocery aisles or standing in line at the post office, and we make eye contact with a stranger, it’s going to be a lot easier to dismiss someone as rude or impatient when most of their face is covered with a mask. And the same goes for you.
We need to smile at one another. It makes us happier, and it makes us feel safer.
Being unable to easily read facial cues of those around us is hard enough on our sense of security and ability to connect with others. But we can help others feel safe and welcome with smizing.
A smize today means “thank you,” or, “you go first,” or “I’m here for you.”
HOW TO SMIZE: Think about something that delights you. Something that makes you feel so utterly happy or proud, and feel that positivity swell up inside you. Now, pretend you’re channeling that delight to someone else, and you can only express it to them through your eyes.
Are you looking in a mirror while you do this? You’ll notice your eyes begin to squint, and your mouth becomes slightly numb. Send all of your energy to your eyes.
It’s about more than the smile itself
You might not know that the smiley face symbol wasn’t created until 1963. Artist Harvey Ball was commissioned by an insurance company to help improve employee morale.
Out of concern that the symbol was becoming too commercialized and overused, Ball came up with an idea: All of us should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the world. And World Smile Day was born.
“A smile is what we want from every other human being. Sometimes I think we forget that,” said Ball. “We start to think we’re too small to make a difference. But that’s not true. The truth is that every one of us has the ability to make a difference every day. And World Smile Day can help us remember that.”
Today is living with a generous heart, doing even just one act of kindness, and helping someone else smile. Who knows how far one kind act and one smile can reach?
Afterall, as Ball says, “Acts of kindness are contagious…and so are smiles.”
Read more fun facts, expert advice, and dental industry news on the Biteline blog.
