A runner's thoughts - The power of a smile

If I was to sound like a dictionary a smile is a 'facial expression formed by flexing the muscles near both ends of the mouth. Among humans, it is an expression denoting pleasure, joy, happiness, or amusement, but can also be an involuntary expression of anxiety, in which case it is known as a grimace.'

On a more low brow level smiling is just a great way to make yourself feel better. It also has a side effect of making your body function better. Smiling can improve your health, your stress level, and your attractiveness. 

Here is a list of other benefits:

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive - We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor.
2. Smiling Changes Our Mood - Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better.
3. Smiling Is Contagious - When someone is smiling they lighten up the room and changes the moods of others, and make things happier.
4. Smiling Relieves Stress - When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action.
5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System - Smiling helps the immune system to work better. It can helps to prevent flu and colds.
6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure - When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure.
7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin - Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.
8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger - The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger.
9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful - Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached.
10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive - When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!".

So there you go, smiling is a powerful and useful 'friend' to aid your running performance. On Twitter we are running (excuse the pun) a hashtag called #pleasesmile and we are campaigning for people to not only smile more at passers as they run by, but to try and get people to just smile more. With what is going on in the world today a little bit of smiling would, I am sure, make the world a friendlier place.