“It takes more muscles to frown than to smile,” a phrase that I’m sure most of us have heard for longer than we can remember; a phrase I’ve loved for longer than I can remember. I don’t know the science behind this and I could easily Google it, but quite frankly I don’t care if it’s true or not. The idea that smiling should come more easily to us than frowning is a beautiful one. Sometimes I think we forget how much a smile can mean or do, because we forget what exactly a smile means. Smiling stands for happiness, warmth, kindness, etc. We should all smile more, and I’m not just talking about physically lifting the corners of your mouth; I’m saying that nothing is wrong with allowing yourself to be happy even when it gets tough. If you have trouble finding reasons to smile, here are some reasons why you should be smiling:

1. Somebody Cares about you.

You may feel like you’re completely alone but you’re probably not as alone as you think. I promise you there is someone out there that genuinely cares about whether you’re smiling or not. Whether it be a friend, a parent, a lover, a sibling, maybe even a coworker or a pet. I promise you there is someone that wants to see you smile.

2. There is laughter in the world.

Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve laughed or made someone laugh but somewhere somebody is laughing and that’s a beautiful thing. Laughing is the ultimate display of one’s happiness and the fact that our ears can be graced with it or our mouths can produce it is simply amazing and deserves at least a grin.

3. You can read and write.

If you’re reading this right now you’re obviously literate and that is such a powerful thing. You have the ability to convey your ideas as well as comprehend others’. Words truly can move mountains and change lives, and the fact that we can possess them and use them to go beyond a page should make anyone happy.

4. You’re Unique.

Even if you think you’re the most basic human being in existence, I can guarantee that you’re not. You are the only you. No one else is exactly like you and that’s something you should own and be happy about.

5. People are Rude.

It might sound crazy to think that someone being rude to you would make you smile but I honestly believe it should. You should appreciate that you’re not going through whatever has made them act so horribly to others’. Or maybe you are going through something even worse but you should smile at the fact that you’re handling it a lot better than they are.

6. There is learning to be done.

Each day presents an opportunity to learn something new. Whether it be learning from a mistake or being presented with new knowledge, the capacity to learn is an amazing thing and can take you further than you may even believe. Take advantage of every opportunity to learn and do it with a smile on your face.

7. Art is being made.

In the time that you take to read this article an unfathomable amount of art will be created. Music, books, movies, paintings, sculptures, clothes, among other outlets of creative expression are being made across the world. People are expressing what they feel and turning it into something beautiful to share with others.

8. You woke up this morning.

The fact that you’re living your life right now should put a huge smile on your face. You can spend time with loved ones, try something new, do what you love, or learn a new skill. Just being alive is something to celebrate because your opportunities to smile are endless.

We all have our moments in which being happy and smiling seem nearly impossible. Sometimes it just seems to be upset or angry. I promise you there are a million reason why smiling is easier. This list only contains eight of the endless amount of reasons why you should be smiling. So go out and find the other reasons. You may even make someone else smile along the way.