They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but have you ever thought about what your smile is worth? I’d say a thousand words or so. Maybe less, maybe more, but your smile is worth more than you realize I’m sure. As cliché as it may sound, your smile could lift up someone’s entire mood. Your smile alone could make their whole day. Everyone is going through something different and most of the time you probably don’t know what it is, especially if you don’t know them. Some struggles are bigger than others but struggles none the less. Even if it is just a bad grade on a test they just took, who knows what that damage will do. As they leave their test and you pass them by and flash a smile it won’t change the outcome of their test grade but it may boost their spirits a little.

Mornings are tough, too. Even if all is well and dandy there is hardly anything fun about getting up early to go to class or wherever your morning takes you. Coffee is a plus but sometimes it’s just not enough. Do your best to always smile in the morning. Whether you are smiling at someone or just smiling in general it says a lot about your character. Smiling gives off the thought that you are a happy person or in good spirits which is always a good thing. It makes you seem approachable and friendly. Think about that one morning freshman year when you were running late—because let's face it, if it was morning you were probably running late—and for some reason your classroom was just not in the same place you swore you saw it last week. You would have felt much less nervous or intimidated asking a smiling person to point you in the right direction rather than someone just staring off into space.

That was just a simple scenario but I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this. Whether someone is having a rough day and your smile brightens it just a bit or they’re doing all right your smile could make them happier inside, because who doesn’t love to be acknowledged? I know I for one almost always love to have my presence noticed so that smile would definitely do the trick. It is very easy to smile as you pass by others and go about your day. I am not suggesting you say “Hello, how are you?” to everyone you see, because that’s a little much for strangers, but a smile is subtle and just enough.

Your smile has the potential to do great things. Your smile is uplifting and powerful, it is friendly and kind, it is interesting and intriguing, it is exciting and motivating. Your smile is you and that is its greatest quality. Start and finish everyday with a smile; it can’t hurt anything.