How Can a Fake Smile Produce Health and Avoid Stress?

How Can a Fake Smile Produce Health And Avoid Stress?

Howard Hughes owned a major airline called Pan-American World Airways
from the 1930s to December 4, 1991. Pan-Am required all its flight attendants (Stewardesses) to be thin, attentive, and consistently smile at the passengers.

Of course it was a phony smile, and became recognized as a Pan-Am Smile.
All their advertising revealed beautiful young women exposing their pearly white teeth standing in front of massive airplanes.

There are two types of smiles: the Pan-Am toothy, forced Smile. The second is called a Duchenne Smile: it requires both a showing of teeth, and a squinting (crow’s feet) of the eyes. Only the experts noticed the difference. The rest of us just see a welcoming smile.

So What

When our ancient ancestors still swung from trees by their prehensile thumbs,
there was non-verbal communication. A smile is a non-verbal physiological facial
expression that communicates non-violence. Eons later, seeing a smiling face activates our own Mirror Neurons to produce a smile in return. It inhibits aggression.

Two scientists at University College London, Andreas Bartels and Semir Zeki searched for the brain structures responsible for affection, love, and smiling.
They used fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imagery) to discover that
two brain structures trigger smiling, good will, and cooperation.

Inquiring minds need to know: Nucleus Accumbens is one, and the VTA (Ventral
Tegmental Area) the second. These two structures activate the neurotransmitter (brain chemical) called Dopamine producing laughter, smiling, pleasure, and our Placebo Effect.

Get this: Dopamine deactivates (inhibits) negative emotions. What else?
Dopamine is the brain’s natural reward circuitry, and responds to novelty.
It is unexpected rewards that cause a genuine smile of satisfaction and pleasure.

Zinger

Homo sapiens cannot tell the difference between a Fake smile, one you
consciously decide to put on your puss, and a natural, autonomic nervous
system caused smile. Statistically about 92% in our research with students
and executives, do NOT recognize the difference in the facial expression of a smile.

Thirty Second Rule

People trust those who smile at them – it is evolutionary. Those who smile influence,
persuade, and convince others. We choose to deal with people we like. Google: the law of Liking. We hire folks who smile, show a positive attitude, and an aptitude. I.Q. as a hiring prerequisite, ranks third.

The Go-To people in companies and organizations seem to be Smilers. Their inviting smile reduces the threat of rejection, refusal, and thumbs-down. They win
promotions more easily, and become team leaders.

Physiology: Doing It

If you maintain a Fake Smile as your facial expression for over 20 seconds (consecutively) it triggers a sensory cue that triggers a Genuine smile, together with an improved state of mind, attention span, and concentration.

Smiling activates the Central Nervous System to accelerate the flow of your immune
system: it balances your blood pressure, heartbeat, and respiration.

Did you know that smiling, a sign of a positive mental attitude activates your Leukocytes (white blood cells), Phagocytes, Lymphocytes, and Macrophages in your bloodstream? They attack foreign bacteria, viruses, and toxins to save your fundament. The point to remember is Smiling makes you healthier.

Maintain a Fake Smile for 20+ seconds for seven (7) days, and it creates a neural network in your Limbic System. Continue for 21 consecutive days and Fake Smiling
becomes a neurological Habit operating on autopilot as a Genuine Smile.

Practice Fake Smiling – Fake it Until You Make it

We are talking about 20-30 seconds once a day. If you want to progress rapidly practice Fake Smiling once before lunch, and again after lunch. The secret is creating a short, powerful ritual until it becomes a habit after 21 consecutive days.

You are Autodidactic - < Latin: self-taught. In the beginning – Force Yourself.

If you decide to improve your health by the Smiling rite, there is a side benefit.
Smiling is an antidote to Chronic Stress. Many scientists believe that chronic
stress initiates illness, disease, and physical breakdowns.

Your job – if you decide to accept the assignment – is eliminating chronic stress by producing more of the neurotransmitter, Dopamine. It leads to greater longevity.

Some Folks Got To Know

What facial muscles activate smiling?

There are a dozen muscles in your face involved in smiling. Only eleven for frowning. Here are the twelve key facial muscles for smiling.

1. Zygomatic major and minor muscles are Bilateral and pull up the corners
of the mouth. Four, (two) on each side of the face.
2. Orbicularis Oculi – encircle each eye causing crinkling (crow’s feet). Two.
3. Levator Labic Superioris pull up the corners of the lips and nose. Two.
4. Levator Anguli Oris – elevates the angle of your mouth. Two.
5. Risorius – pulls the mouth corners to the side. Two.

You are not a medical student, so just remember Zygomatic and Orbicularis Oculi,
mouth and eyes, and people will think you a brilliant star.

Endwords

A Fake Smile is a powerful resource; we recommend you train yourself in non-verbal communication. It is a proven success producer in relationships, school, and career.

If you had a major competitive difference like reading and remembering three (3)
books, articles, and reports in the time your peers can hardly finish one, would that
improve your school and career experiences?

Call us for our free report. Start now.

See ya,

copyright © 2009 H. Bernard Wechsler
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