Hello everyone,
I know it’s been a hard week, but we’ve finally finished exams and we’re about
to go on holidays. Because of this, most of us, if not everyone, are happy and
excited, and what do we do when we have these feelings? Some people jump,
others dance, run, sing or shout, but what we all do is smile. And that’s what
my speech is about, the art of smiling.
When I’ve
mentioned the word “holidays” I’ve seen some of you smiling, maybe you haven’t
even noticed, but your body has reacted to this simple gesture. First of all, it
has released endorphins, chemicals that make you happier and help you manage
stress and anxiety. So next time you’re stressed out, smile. I know it’s kind
of weird to force yourself to smile when you’re not happy, but studies have
shown that it will make your body feel great, elevate your mood and reduce
physical pain, so don’t hesitate and try it…Wait, why does it sound like I’m
selling drugs?
Well, as I was
saying, it has enormous benefits for oneself, but there’s more. Smiling is
contagious, so if you’re stressed or nervous with a bunch of people who are
feeling the same as you, smiling will not only relax your body, but also make
others smile and obtain the same benefits. Two for one, it’s a great offer,
isn’t it?
It has other
advantages like boosting your immune system or lowering your body pressure, it
all concludes in “health benefits”. But there’s more than that. Okay, smiling
is healthy and all this stuff, but it’s also a really important gesture in
communication. Humans are a social specie, and that means we continuously
interact with others. It may be through words or just gestures, but our facial
expression is really important. It’s not the same to say “I have something to
tell you” smiling than with a poker face. Short clarification: there are a lot
of different smiles (forced, sadistic, etc.) but today we’re just talking about
the natural one, the one which expresses true happiness.
As said before,
smiling is contagious, and this is really significant. The other day I saw a
little girl in her baby carriage, and at some point she stared at me and
smiled. Obviously if you see a child smiling you smile in return so, of course,
I smiled back. But I didn’t stop smiling, even when I left her behind, thinking
about how cute she was. And then an older woman saw me and, surprise, she
smiled at me. For some reason that made me really happy and I arrived home with
an incredible feeling of peace. Then I remembered all the things I had to do,
and my peace decreased, but the point is that a stranger made me happy for some
minutes, without even exchanging a word. Do you really understand the power of
a smile?
In summary:
smile, smile, smile and smile, but not in a funeral or when we are given the
marks because it’s disrespectful. Thank you.
Cristina Camacho
1st BTX B
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