Viral Smiles

By Shlomo Maital   

        Often, when walking our two dogs, I encounter strangers.  Some are walking their own dogs. Some are just passersby.  I find that when I smile at them, they nearly always (95%) smile back. 

        Why?

          Turns out, our brains have ‘mirror neurons’ that respond to actions that we observe in others. Mirror neurons fire in the same way when we actually recreate that action ourselves.  In other words —  our brains respond to the smile of someone else in the same way they respond to our own smiles.

           Smiles have a double whammy.  They make us feel better.  Literally —  our brains themselves respond to a smile.  Smiles tell our brains, hey, I guess I am happy, I am smiling.  But they also generate similar responses from others. 

          Smiles are not the right response in every situation, by far.  If you are in a heated argument, a smile can be interpreted as mockery or disdain – and ignite fury.  But in ordinary encounters, smiles really do work.

           A smile can be a random act of kindness.  And it is proven to be viral.  It is also a kind of brand.  People known to be frequent smilers are often regarded as worth knowing and befriending.  Grouches?  A lot less so.

            Try it.  See if my 95% rule is exaggerated.