Feel Good Friday post from co-Founder & Director Lindsay Taylor.
Yup! That’s me (aged 4 with my brother & sister who are twins). As you can see, I wasn’t a very smiley little person!
I’ve definitely made up for this in my adult years though & hope some of my posts and articles also make you smile.
Like this one that I’ve resurrected from the article archives here at Your Excellency HQ.
⭐️The Art of the Smile⭐️
I’m excited about this article. Just typing the title (which I’m picturing Vegas-style in rainbowed neon lights) has a feel good factor to it. It’s making me smile.
I’ve Googled the definition of “smile” and now I’m frowning. I’m a tad disappointed in the definition. According to Wikipedia it’s
“A facial expression formed by flexing the muscles near both ends of the mouth and by flexing the muscles throughout the mouth”.
It sounds mechanical, devoid of emotion. That definition would fit “the act of a smile” – but “the art of the smile” – now, that’s something different.
Smiling is one of the earliest forms of communication – parents across the world coo over their 6 week old’s first smile (before this we are told it is merely wind…). It is generally held that the smile is a universal language (albeit there are some cultural disagreements on the frequency of smiling and who we should actually be smiling at).
With every new gem of knowledge that I share with my clients I package it up with the WIIFM & WIIFT strategy. I’m an advocate for new learning and knowledge (a pre-requisite for a trainer I would hope!) and believe it’s important to ask
WIIFM – What’s in it for me? and
WIIFT – What’s in it for them?
so you can truly understand the benefit of the new skill that you’ve acquired.
So, A SMILE – WIIFM? And WIIFT?
Smiling triggers the production of endorphins in our system that promote that “feel good” factor. Tackling your “to do” list with a smile and a “can do” attitude will ensure you are more productive and in the “right frame of mind” to get things done. And, of course, your organisation will find great benefit in you if you’re being uber-productive and efficient. You’ll be getting yourself noticed for the right reasons.
Congruent smiling is the crème de la crème of smiles (when we are smiling on the outside and feeling it on the inside).
Even if you don’t feel like smiling have a go. The endorphin trigger may give you the boost that you need to feel the smile inside.
I’m a great believer that the root of any successful working practice is in how well the team are “gelling” and working together. When you smile it can have a knock-on effect and influence on others who perceive you as being more likeable, approachable and trustworthy – therefore promoting team work.
Your co-workers are more likely to approach you with suggestions, ideas or involve you in projects – the scope for taking on board more responsibility (and promotion) is optimised for you.
Now, with all this knowledge, what is there not to smile about?
