Do you enjoy riddles? See if you can guess what this is:

• It makes you feel better than the mood-elevating act of eating chocolate makes you feel.
• It make you feel better than you’d feel if you found $25,000 in cash in the pocket of an old coat.
• It helps you live longer by reducing your cortisol, adrenaline and dopamine and increase endorphins in your body.
• It helps reduce your blood pressure.
• It makes you appear more likeable, courteous and competent.
• No matter how much you use it, it can never be diminished!
• It is evolutionarily contagious.
• It is available to everyone at no cost.

What is it?

The answer: a Smile! Did you know the simple act of smiling could do all that? My grandmother used to say that it took 78 muscles to frown and only 14 to smile. That, for me, was reason enough to smile. This enlightening video presents many more reasons; reasons based on extensive research. It’s well worth the seven-minute, twenty-seven-second investment of your time to hear what this smile researcher has to say. :-)

Who knew a smile could do so much? Did you?

Photo credit: HaniSham Salleh