Put on a Happy Face!

Word of the Day

Pollyanna (polly-anna): Someone who is always very happy and believes that only good things will happen. The ultimate optimist. This word’s a little different. It comes from the name of a fictional character by Eleanor Hodgman Porter (American novelist). Pollyanna was extremely optimistic, and her name stuck!

Hello there!

Friday, October 2nd is World Smile Day! Did you ever hear someone say, “smiles are contagious”? Well, they are! Science has actually proven that it’s nearly impossible to notsmile when you see someone else grinning. Besides, when you smile, you actually feel. . .well, happier! Go ahead- try it out!

Now for some smile facts. . .

- Babies are born knowing how to smile.

- People recognize smiles from up to 300 feet away!

- Smiles are the easiest facial expression to identify.

- A University of California researcher identified 19 types of smiles.

- The Australian quokka is known for its friendly smile.

- Smiling uses between 5-53 muscles, depending on the smile, of course!

- We buy 14 million gallons of toothpaste each year to keep our smiles healthy.

- Smiling while talking on the phone makes you sound friendlier.

What better way to celebrate World Smile Day than by spreading some smiles in your own little corner of the world! I challenge you to count how many times you can make other people smile in an hour without saying a word. You might surprise yourself!

This week, I want to remind you that smiles are all around us. You just have to be looking for them! Here’s one last challenge. Find three objects around your home that resemble a smile. I found a banana, a handle on a pot lid, and the handle on my umbrella!

BONUS: The book will be available before you know it! To celebrate the book and this holiday, I want you to guess how many smiles (elbow macaroni noodles) are in this small, 250ml mason jar! Share your guess on Facebook by Friday, October 2ndat 5PM. Be sure to also like and share the post to qualify. The person closest without going over will win a FREE signed copy of the book! Winner will be announced at 7PM. Even more reason to smile!

Until next time!

Gram

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.”- William Arthur Ward