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Your best accessory

By Meg | May 22, 2007

What if someone told you that there was an accessory that you could wear to look more beautiful, approachable, memorable, and energetic? What if they told you it was free? Well, I am. At the risk of sounding a bit Pollyanna, consider this a reminder to smile. For many of us, smiling is something we rarely do unless maybe we are posing for a picture - and even then it is usually forced. However, smiling can have a profound effect on people. As the song goes, “When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.” Well it’s not far off. Try it for a day and see for yourself. Your mileage might vary, but I find that I get better service when shopping, meet more new people, have more doors held for me, and feel better about myself.

Practice makes perfect

Of course, if you aren’t in the habit it can feel a bit funny to go around smiling at perfect strangers. As silly as it seems, I found that I had to retrain my facial muscles a bit before it came naturally. There’s no shame in practicing at home with a mirror. Plus you’ll find that with some practice you’ll become much more photogenic since your smile won’t look forced.

When practicing experiment with the location of your lips and cheeks, such as how far and to where you pull them. Also, don’t forget your eyes. Make sure to practice opening your eyes nice and big. You’ll look more awake as a result (but hopefully not too buzzed). When you start getting the hang of it, close your eyes, let your face relax, then all of a sudden open your eyes and try flashing a winning smile.

Don’t hide it

Embarrassed by your teeth? Don’t be. Few smiles are perfect, but they almost always look better than a constant frown. If you do have serious dental issues, though, taking care of your teeth should be a priority - and not just for cosmetic reasons. Fortunately if your teeth are just a bit on the yellow-side, there are many products currently available to help such as Crest Whitestrips, which I used before my college graduation. My family said that they could easily see my smile from where they were sitting in the bleachers.

We all know that keeping a great smile does require some effort, but it is worth it. I actually don’t mind flossing, though I need to make a better habit of it. If you dislike flossing, my mom swears by water picks for keeping teeth clean (in addition to brushing), and her dentist has noticed.

Have any of you noticed a difference when you smile?

This post is dedicated to a dear friend who always had a smile on her face. It was wonderfully contagious. She and her smile are sorely missed.


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One Response to “Your best accessory”

Start your New Year right Says:
December 28th, 2007 at 5:39 pm

[…] Sure, it seems like a lot, but even small changes make a difference. Just saving time shopping can give you more time to take care of yourself. And when it comes to stress-relief, don’t underestimate the power of smiling! […]

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