A first proposal for change: smile more

Last Friday was World Smile Day. Once a year, social media fills up with jokes, photos and gifs trying to coax that expression out of us.

Harvey Ball, who created the famous yellow smiley face in 1963, thought it would be worth dedicating a day to it. In 1999 the first day devoted to friendliness, kindness and warmth through smiling was celebrated. Since then, every year, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation, created in his honour, raises money for charity and promotes joy and kindness.

Experts say that a smile reflects positivity and self-confidence. It is contagious and conveys a sense of security. Whoever receives one instantly feels part of it and, even without knowing what caused it, will find it very hard not to smile back.

A smile is a universal language: anywhere in the world, a sincere smile is understood as a friendly gesture.

And besides, if you smile in photos, you look more attractive.

Proposal: the pencil technique

An experiment by Fritz Strack.

Hold a pencil between your teeth without letting your lips touch it. This forces your mouth into a grin and, according to the experiment, your brain will read it as a smile and start producing hormones that lift your mood.

I make a list of the things that make me smile during the day: my cat looking at me, waiting to be stroked; my neighbour catching me experimenting with a pencil in my mouth; writing this article; my friend’s dog jumping up at me like a puppy even though she’s bigger than I am; watching an episode of Star Trek and discovering I’m a Trekkie when I can name at least five of the show’s alien species… or was it six?

I asked people I know what makes them smile

• When I manage something on my own that I find really hard, and it finally works.
• Doing something good for others; it comforts me and makes me smile.
• Remembering things from the past that I really enjoyed.
• Watching funny videos.
• Looking at photos of my grandfather, which always remind me of lovely things.
• Being with the people I love.
• Getting up in the morning knowing I’m well and have a whole new day ahead of me.
• Hugging my family and wishing them good morning.
• Looking at the view from the window and seeing how perfect nature is.
• The stories and songs shared with the children on the way to school.
• Meeting professional and personal goals every day, and crossing paths with people who always have something lovely to teach.

• Exchanging messages with family and friends who, even far away, are always there to show their love.
• Looking in the mirror every morning and repeating with me: I’m wonderful!
• Group chats with friends.
• Rain and storms.
• Seeing my children and my husband.
• A 40-minute breakfast.
• All four of us piling into bed to watch a film, with the little dog at our feet.
• Group hugs when someone isn’t feeling happy.
• Family meals, all of us together and jumbled up with great-grandad.
• Having something to fight for: children, family, work.
• Feeling that I’m not alone.
• Getting into a warm bed when I’m dead tired.
• The smile I bring to a friend’s face when I talk to her.
• Not having to make the bed because I fell asleep on the sofa watching TV.

I’m grateful to everyone who helped me put this list together. People who made me smile.

As I write, I realise I have many more reasons to smile than to go around with my lips pressed tight and in a bad mood.

Shhh… I’m going to put the pencil back in now that nobody’s looking.