How to Prove if Smiles Are Contagious

There is nothing better to battle a grumpy funk than to start smiling. You may find, however, that it is difficult to break out of that bad mood and turn the corner to happiness. Fortunately, you can take advantage of the contagious power of smiles to shake your blues. The data is in, and smiling does bring with it a contagious element.

Instructions

• 1

  Look at some pictures of smiling people. The mere act of looking at photos of smiling friends or even strangers can be contagious. If you do not have photos of your own, go to a web search engine, click on the "images" category and search for "people smiling."

• 2

  Lock eyes with another person. If that person is smiling, you will unknowingly mimic his smile, according to Dr. Paula Niedenthal in an article in the New York Times. This is true proof that smiles are contagious.

• 3

  Become the center of the party. People who are the centers of their social circles tend to smile more frequently and with good reason. Interacting with others in a positive way and maintaining strong relationships provides you with added opportunities to catch a smile.

• 4

  Learn from a sleeping baby. Babies are notorious for smiling in their sleep, and while scientists are still determining why they do it, they do. Good luck not smiling back at a sleeping, smiling baby.

• 5

  Force yourself to smile. Sometimes it is really just a case of pure will power. The act of the forced smile triggers the muscles and mental processes of positivity. It may seem counter-intuitive, but if you just try to force that smile, you may find you can catch a positive vibe from yourself. For added effect, watch a mirror as you try to fake a smile; it is pretty funny.

• 6

  Go to your happy place. This is another exercise in self-contagious smiling. Focus upon a time in your life when you were very happy, and the positive mental image of yourself will have a great impact. If you enjoy writing in a journal, write about a time of great happiness, or even rewrite an experience but make the outcome happier.