You know that 3 o'clock feeling? You're tired, your professor is droning on and on, absolutely no one is paying attention in class, and then...somebody yawns. All it takes is one yawn, and the whole class is yawning. I just yawned thinking about yawning. Yawns are contagious and very powerful. The same is true with smiles. Giving some one a genuine smile is contagious and uplifting. Turning you day around is really as simple and easy as turning the corners of your mouth up.

Don't believe me? From day one, we know how to smile. Babies learn behaviors and social cues from the people around them, but from birth, they smile in their sleep. As our minds develop and we learn social cues, our smiles change from reflexive actions to indications of our emotional state. Babies that are born blind also smile from the get-go, proving that we do not mimic and learn this expression of happiness from the people in our world. Instead, smiling is inherent.

The simple act of smiling has the power to totally change your day and your mood. If you're feeling stressed out or down, forcing yourself to smile can lift your spirits instantly. Most people think that you smile when you're happy, but the opposite is true. In reality, when you smile, you are happy. Smiling also makes you more attractive to others, helps you win those big promotions in the office, and can keep you from getting a nasty cold by boosting your immune system.

Still not convinced that smiling is an act you should be carrying out regularly? Studies have shown that smiling more can increase your life by 7 years. That is definitely significant. Genuine, broad smiles and laugh lines are strong indicators of your personal satisfaction and mood. Researchers used baseball cards to prove this fact. They measured each player's grin and analyzed the laugh lines on their faces. They then ranked their smiles from no smile to full on grin. When their life spans were analyzed, the players with the biggest smiles lived the longest. Bottom line: when your outlook on life is strong, you are predicted to lead a longer and more satisfying life.

Smiling is the only universal sign of happiness. It's the easiest way to ensure that you and everyone around you has a good attitude. You are automatically more attractive to people around you when you show off your pearly whites. So next time a chain of yawns goes around your classroom, break it and send a smile around instead. Annie said it best... You're never fully dressed without a smile.