It turns out that those people who are always advising you to smile are right— smiling makes you feel better and improves your mood. (The truth of this matter does not negate the fact that anyone who tells you to smile is an annoying jerk. We fully agree, although we know that since we just told you to smile, that means we’re the annoying jerks . . .)
A Penn State study showed that people who smiled were perceived as more lik- able, more polite, and even more competent than those who did not. Other studies have shown that when you smile, you fool your brain into thinking you’re happy. This is true even if your smile is fake. Your brain stops thinking so many Eeyore thoughts and you are more likely to perceive the positives in the world around you. One researcher suggests that smiling can even help protect your brain from stress. So put on a happy face!