Our son brought home a photo frame as an "art" project from LAMBS yesterday. The photo included with the frame was not exactly a flattering image of our son.
I'm not sure if he was sick or injured or what was going on when this photo was taken last fall, but it certainly isn't like the photos of him I have posted on my refrigerator. Compare the above photo to this next one.
Which photo reflects more health and beauty? What is the primary difference between them? It's amazing to me what a difference a smile makes.
Would you ever guess that the two photos below were taken of the same chubby little girl when she was 5 months old?
Smiling certainly does make us appear more attractive, but it also has a number of health benefits.
- Smiling, even if initially forced, can improve your mood and lighten the spirits of others around you.
- People are naturally more attracted to people who look happy, so the more you smile, the more likely you are to find yourself surrounded by supportive friends.
- Smiling reduces stress.
- Smiling helps boost the immune system.
- Smiling can lower blood pressure.
- Smiling makes you look and feel younger which helps improve confidence.
I have a number of wrinkles around my eyes, cheeks and mouth that are accented when I smile. At first I wanted to avoid smiling so as not to draw attention to my wrinkles. When I considered the health benefits of smiling, however, I realized that these smile lines are trophies signifying a healthy life lived with joy. Don't be afraid to smile today!
"When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them." (Job 29:24)
Posts
Love this!
ReplyDelete