When I was in high school a friend from Spain came to visit for the summer. Her English was very good but she couldn’t remember the word, smile. Whenever the word escaped her she filled in as best she could and substituted the words “happy teeth” instead. I have never forgotten the phrase. At times when a smile seems like an impossible task I remind myself to have happy teeth. Just the thought of the silly combination of words causes me to smile.
There are many benefits to smiling, and doing so is practically instinctual. https://www.verywellmind.com/top-reasons-to-smile-every-day-2223755 It is physically, mentally, and emotionally harder to stifle a grin than to let one spread. There’s no shortage of reasons to smile but sometimes a reminder is needed. A smile from one person to another usually elicits a smile in return. The response is polite but also contagious. Think of all the situations in which you don’t have a reason to smile but when you see some else grinning from ear to ear you can’t help but do the same. Take a happy baby in a stroller, or the grin of a dog, neither are conscientiously smiling but you willingly return the facial expression, igniting a tiny spark of happiness. Smiles are contagious which means that in a small way happiness is too.
Share your happy teeth generously and reap the happy benefits of your smile. There’s always plenty to be happy about but when you need a reason to smile or a boost to your happiness think “happy teeth” and you might be surprised at just how easy smiling becomes.
