Whoever said life was easy clearly never tried to get a seat on a weekday 5:30 p.m. train out of Boston. The person who thinks life is easy never heard their parents fight, never missed their best friend, and never struggled with the "gray areas" of right and wrong. Life has frustrations and complexities and at times feels like the toddler who asks "why?" continuously after every answer you give. Life is waiting in line at Dunkin Donuts for 15 minutes to get an iced caramel swirl, and then dropping it all over yourself when you go to open the door. Life can seem dirty and challenging and incomprehensible, which is exactly why smiling at people you don't know is so important.
I believe in smiling at everyone because it reaffirms that we are all connected through the crazy journey of life. We all have our own triumphs and downfalls and everything in between. When you smile at a person, no matter who they are, it can literally transform their entire mindset. Seeing someone show you this act of kindness can brighten your day and make it better. It is a natural instinct to mimic the facial expressions you see in the people around you. And the best part? It takes one second to do so. Smiling at strangers is such a simple act, but it can mean so much.
With everything going on in our world right now, it is important now more than ever to show people support and joy. The truth of the matter is, you never know what someone is thinking. Everyone has their own struggles and worries that they are dealing with. If you smile at someone who is having a bad day or going through a rough patch, it can temporarily take them out of their negative mindset. The more we smile at strangers, the more strangers will smile back.
The other day, I listened to stand-up comedy while riding on the train. I found myself grinning ear to ear and trying to hold back laughter. As I looked around, people were looking at me and trying not to join in on my laughter. Whether they were laughing at me or with me is not important, the important part is that laughter is contagious. Bringing happiness to an event as mundane as commuting home from work provides temporary relief to a stressful and tiring day.
I am in no way saying life is easy. What I am saying is that life doesn't need to feel difficult. Sharing an external smile will ultimately translate into internal happiness that can last for as long as you choose. You have the power to control your mindset. I believe in sharing smiles with strangers because it may not mean much to you, but it could make a world of difference to them.
