I just watched this interesting TED Talk about the superpower of smiling, and I thought you’d enjoy it too:

(If the video doesn’t work, click here: http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling.html)
Here are the three most important things I took away from the video:

1. The span of your smile determines the span of your life.  Research backs up the fact that people who smile more often live longer, healthier lives.  Smilers have less stress and more positive feedback.  I, for one, want to live a long, healthy life and would like to spend that time smiling, how about you?  Just think, if you can impress this idea on young people and change their behavior, you can actually make them live longer.

2. Smile + Frown = Smile.  Smiles are contagious.  If you see someone who is smiling, it is difficult to not smile back.  What a great ministry tool it is to know that you possess the power to make sad people feel better just by giving them a smile!  In the youth ministry world, this power is valuable for encouraging teens who are feeling down on themselves…and at some point that may be all teens.  How can you use this power today?

3. Smiles bring more pleasure than up to 2,000 bars of chocolate.  Want to feel good without high caloric intake?  Smile.  You feel better, the pleasure part of your brain is activated, life is good.  I still like chocolate a good bit, but it’s nice to know that I can smile thinking about chocolate without eating it all and still feel good.

That’s all today – 3 valuable reasons to smile.  I hope this post makes you live longer, happier and healthier.

Blessings,

Erin