Wow, it’s hard work, this smiling business.
When you’re walking around feeling bad about yourself, I guess you must tend to subconsciously glare at everyone as you go. I’m finding it to be a real effort to remember that I’m not doing that any more! But when you force yourself to remember your list of good things, the smile follows pretty naturally.
SMILE! I greeted Dad as he came downstairs and headed for the coffee machine. He looked mildly confused, but I felt that it was a successful first smile.
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SMILE! I greeted Kat the Cat as she entered the house looking decidedly alarmed and embarrassed after having fallen off The Parents’ bedroom windowsill and slid quite dramatically down the sloped porch roof. She stared at me and then – I swear – rolled her eyes.
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SMILE! I greeted a random passer-by on the street as I got into the car. He smiled back. Hurrah! My positivity is spreading!
—
The first real test came as I got cut off at a roundabout by someone who wasn’t paying attention, and merrily pulled out into my path, causing me to have to screech to a halt and blare the horn in warning. He slammed on the brakes, too, and then glowered at me in the sort of embarrassed, angry, defensive way that people do in this situation, where what they mean is “I know that was my fault and I nearly killed us both, but I’m very embarrassed, and if you make a big deal out of it I will give you the fingers and pretend that it was your fault”. I was about to glower back, and then the smiling thing popped into my mind. Damn! So I forced myself to remember having just the same experience a few times when driving in Europe, only with myself at fault, mainly due to me forgetting to look the other way for oncoming roundabout traffic. Ahem.
SMILE! I responded to the other driver as I drove on past him. A big, bright, cheerful, sunny smile, too. The expression on the guy’s face was priceless. This could be a fun week.
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SMILE! I greeted the solicitor in Ballymoney, where I’d had to go to get my new criminal record check form notarised and apostilled.
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SMILE! I responded every time he informed me of a different charge that I’d have to pay. He kept looking at me like I was insane, but I am pleased to report that he then started knocking off a fiver here and there so that eventually what should have cost me £85 ended up only costing £70. I like to think it was because he was completely bowled over and bewitched by my charming smile; however, it is more likely that he was a bit afraid of me.
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SMILE! I beamed at the girl in the shop as I bought something that came to £5.01, searched for a penny in my pocket, and failed. I handed over a tenner, resigning myself to having £4.99 of change weighing me down. Again. And she smiled right back at me and handed me a fiver. This may be a normal occurrence elsewhere in the world, but it is not in Ballymena, I assure you. I’ve had petrol station assistants here wait patiently for me to run out to a friend in the car to see if they’ve got a penny, when I’ve accidentally gone 1p over the £20 that I have to pay for my fuel. I can only assume that my smile inspired this girl to do a good deed and overlook the Every Penny Counts mentality.
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Smile, smile, smile. I haven’t smiled this much in months and months, and it’s making me feel all sunny and bright. I even smiled at the radio as I drove to the solicitor’s, for playing Highway to Hell followed by Money Money Money as I was on my way to hand over my payment for approximately 2 days’ work in exchange for approximately 3 minutes’ work from someone else.
Try smiling. It seems to lift the spirits.
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Great post. I can’t stop smiling since I read it. Those hayleysmiles just make it work even better.
Excellent post. The smile photos are the icing on the cake.
I try to smile at people on the tram, but most of the time they just stare at me as if they think I’m insane. Miserable Germans
When you walk around with a smile people wonder what you have been up to!
Keep them guessing. 
It’s especially hard to remember to smile all the time when you’re living in a country that seems to have pretty much everlasting rain and gloom! But I will keep smiling all the same, and let people wonder whether I’m mad, up to something, or simply happy to be me…
You did all that and you weren’t even on Candid Camera. Maybe you’re too young to remember that TV show. I’m wondering is the real reason behind this an expensive visit to the dentist and your just showing off
Honestly, it’s bloody brilliant smiling at people. I love doing it, just to see what happens and I’ve had so many people beam right back at me! Plus it puts me in a good mood when I’m feeling a bit crap – so good on you!
What fun, smiling is good for you, who knew.
Smiling must always be accompanied by a head tilt. To the right is my preference, but it doesnt matter.
Ally McBeal…John Cage rubbing off on you…smile therapy
d@ve – I’m aware of the concept, but yes, I’m too young to actually remember it. Yay! I very rarely get the chance to say “I’m too young” any more, so I take it when it comes along…
watchthatcheese and Brighid – It really does make a difference to how you feel! Especially in this weather.
Sister – AND I’ve got a theme song!
[...] of solid, boring work”. Ugh. I’m telling you, it took a huge amount of effort to smile brightly at the cashier as I handed that [...]