The Paradox of a Smile

 

Smile is the Art of Happiness, says one writer. And being able to master that art is one key to living a beautiful and successful life.

Easy to say at some point when everything that is happening seems to revolve around the way we would want it to. Or should I say that when you get to hold of that “mature concept” of life and everything in it, then it’s way favorable to quote that you have already “mastered the art of happiness”.

Image Credit: Mashable Deviantart.com

Sure there’s nothing wrong in saying that smiles really do affect people, slack of whether or not they’re genuine, spontaneous, or a little bit “held-to-ransom”. The fact that we throw back some of it when it’s flaunted to us reveals that it touches our mood into something of a lighter side.

One study says our emotions are reinforced by the corresponding expressions we make. It’s like a feedback loop. But ironically humans still have the ability to suppress and repress unpleasant emotions, and smiling is one concrete channel of doing it.

We smile at most to show that we can still hold for ourselves no matter how unbearable a situation and our feelings for it can be. And although without smile (no matter how false) we can hardly begin with the cliche’ that the way to happiness starts with oneself. Albeit factual is that cliche’.

For whether or not smile is an Art of Happiness or an Art of Emotional Defense, doesn’t mean we are less truthful and less sensitive to the world than others are.

I’m actually smiling now as I write this post; sublime to whatever problems (personal and the likes) that are wishing me an emotional constipation. I just hope to share with you a little piece of thought and conviction.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word,

a listening ear, and honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,

all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

– Leo F. Buscaglia

Image Credits:

Mashable at deviantart.com