We have a tradition around here. We start each and every Matchmaker morning with a five-minute team huddle. We greet our co-workers, go over any pressing issues, set individual daily goals, and wrap up with this directive – “Let’s go make somebody smile.”
We’re big on smiles. From mailing chattering teeth to our clients to creating our own comic book, we hope we succeed in brightening your days. Mary’s got the hard shift, making people smile first thing Monday morning. Admittedly I get the easier job – there’s a lot to smile about as the weekend approaches!
Of course, it’s not always easy to be cheery; stress, problems, and worries can get in the way. It can feel irritating, being told to smile when you’re not feeling up to it, but there’s science behind it! A 2012 study proved that a smile – even one literally held up by chopsticks – reduces one’s heart rate during stressful activities.
If you’re ever in need of a little inspiration, you’ll find it with this young man. Six-year-old Jayden Hayes lost his father at the age of the four, and then his mother just two years later. While managing his own grief, this heartbroken boy decided he was tired of seeing people look sad. So, he set on a mission – to make at least 33,000 people smile. CBS news correspondent, Steven Hartman, gave this touching report:
As Jayden already knows, there are hundreds of ways to induce a smile, and most of them are free! Here are some of our favorite methods:
- Go for a walk: Even if it’s just a short lunch-break stroll, being outside on a pretty day is enough to make anyone smile.
- Make a snack you loved as a kid: Ants on a log, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, or even just cutting your apple into quarters can be enough to remind you of the lunches mom used to pack. Speaking of mom…
- Send a family member or cherished friend an ‘I love you!’ text: You’ll make them smile with your surprise reminder, and it might even spark a fun conversation!
- Take a picture of something that makes you happy: Grab your phone and snap a picture of a pretty flower, a happy dog, or a great piece of art. Set it as your background and enjoy a smile-making reminder every day.
- Find fun: Fun is everywhere – even if you have to Google it. Take, for example, this page of smiling animals: you won’t be able to keep a straight face, we promise!
Sometimes, all it takes is a smile to kick-start the rest of your day. And, if you’re ever in need of one and don’t know where to turn, we’re just a click or a phone call away!
Keep ’em grinnin’ from ear to ear this weekend,
~Bob
