Smiling makes you happy

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Lighten up a little”

Our Bible verse for today: “A happy heart makes a face cheerful…” Proverbs 15:15 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Smiling makes you happy”

It comes as no surprise to us that when we’re happy, we smile. But did you know that smiling also makes you happy? It does. There’s an old saying that goes, “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile is the source of your joy.” The truth of this has been scientifically proven in numerous psychological and neurological studies.

Psychologically, there is a theory known as “self-perception theory”. It holds that acting as if you feel something will eventually lead you to experience that feeling. If you act like you are brave, soon you will begin to feel brave. If you act like you love someone, and if you continue in those actions, eventually you will begin to experience true feelings of love for them. Likewise, if you act happy, soon you will begin to feel happy.

Smiling is a major part of the happiness equation. When you’re happy you smile. So conversely, if you smile you will begin to feel happy. The self-perception theory proves it over-and-over again. If you want to have something to smile about, just go ahead and smile, and soon you will be smiling because you feel like it and not because you are trying to.

There’s also a neurological element to this smiling business. Smiling results in the secretion of endorphin in the brain. Endorphin produces an opiate kind of effect on us in that it makes us feel good. When the physical act of smiling generates a release of endorphins in the brain that in turn makes us feel good, which gives us even more reason to smile, which then releases more endorphins, which make us feel even better, which makes us smile even more … and on it goes. Smiling makes you feel good and the more you smile the better you feel.

To quote those famous philosophers Cheech and Chong, “This is good stuff, man!” And it’s legal! You can get high on endorphins and there’s no law against it! The more you smile the more endorphins that are released and the better you feel, and the better you feel the more you smile, and the more you smile yet more endorphins are released and you feel even better.

Smiling is also contagious. If you smile at other people other people will smile back at you. Then they will experience the release of endorphins which will make them feel better and happier, which will make them smile at other people, which will cause yet more people to smile in return, releasing endorphins in them, causing them to smile at other people and … Wow. This stuff could change the world!

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile is the source of your joy. So, smile today! Smile a lot.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Share this:

Related

Leave a comment Cancel reply