Smiles can do so much, even if we don’t always feel “happy” in that moment, we can use smiles to trick ourselves to being happy. Because when we are happy, the endorphins released in our brains are transmitted to our muscles, triggering us to smile. A smile does the same thing to our mind; the contraction of muscles which leads us to smile sends this happy transmission (note: this is not necessarily the most scientific phrase) back to our brains creating a positive loop of happiness flowing between mind and smile which can then be shared with everyone else.

The phrase “fake it till you make it” has never been more appropriate. Want to be happy? Then get smiling and get those happy transmissions flowing – scientifically, it works!

Smiling is contagious...

By deciding that you want to be happy and by executing this marvellous decision through smiling and making those happy neurones cycle, you are not only doing something good for you, but for everyone around you. Sweden, one of the top 10 happiest countries in the world, did a study to show when you're around smiling people it’s hard to stay glum. This is due to our mirror neurones, that’s right, mirror neurones! So, this positive loop you’ve created for yourself that’s led you to keep smiling can be effectively passed on to other people just by smiling at them.

Smiling at someone leads them to smile back at you, igniting their own positive loop of happiness between mind and muscle, leading to them becoming happier and thus also continuing to smile. Yes, yes this is science and it's great but more importantly how wonderful to create such an environment for you and your team to be in!

And there's more...

Now all our happy loops are there, and smiles are flowing, we can start to look at what has been created beyond that initial smile. Establishing your positive loop of neurones and muscle stimulation has created a knock-on effect to lead to yourself and those around you to be happy and smiling, for real! This creates an atmosphere of happiness and positivity within the site which can then be transferred to guest. These smiles floating around the restaurant are inescapable. From getting a drink, having an order taken or to a server walking past their table, smiles are being thrown at them left, right and centre making it increasingly harder for them to not smile back (although we all know some will try). This returned smile is the beginning of them forming their own internal happy loop and with the reinforcement of positivity and sea of smiles this loop can settle in and solidify. By the time the guest has finished their meal they are not only leaving with a satisfied appetite but also a new mindset of happiness which they can take away with them into the world.

What started as a decision of wanting to be happy has transcended into a great day for you and everyone you met, even just if in passing...

A smile is simply a reinforcement of happiness as well as a cause of it. On the days where forcing a smile is that little bit harder, go and talk to someone who is always smiling and let your mirror neurones kick in. It’s simple, but it works and it’s worth it! Smiling has health benefits that include reducing anxiety or lowering your heart rate. In fact, the happiness levels that smiling can bring have been said to be as much as, or more than, those reached from having 2,000 chocolate bars or receiving £16,000*! Go on, fake it till you make it! Whether that’s for your health, happiness or just to know what it would be like to be as happy as getting £16,000.  

We all want to be happy, and who doesn’t love a smile...

But it doesn’t need a code word, it just needs another smile. So, whatever gets you smiling, whether it’s singing along to grapevine or one of the many other songs we all know purely from listening to it in site, or the excitement of discussing weekend antics or maybe just to have that pint of lime and soda, let it spark your internal happiness cycle! Its powers are endless.  

*Shout out to Ding Li who won FameLab by researching smiling!