It would be wonderful if we could always wear a bright and cheerful expression—but at times, that’s not so easy. Still, even in those moments, there is a secret to being able to smile: just go ahead and smile.
In fact, there is something called the Facial Feedback Hypothesis, which suggests that our emotions can be influenced by our facial expressions. German social psychologist Fritz Strack divided experiment participants into two groups. One group was asked to hold a pen between their teeth while reading a comic book, and the other group was told to hold the pen with their lips. Afterward, the group that held the pen between their teeth reported that the comic was more amusing. This is because the mouth shape formed by holding the pen in the teeth resembles the shape of a smiling mouth—corners lifted. In other words, even if you’re not intentionally trying to be cheerful, simply forming a smiling expression can actually make you feel happier.
If we can keep smiling no matter the circumstances, that in itself may be the secret to becoming truly happy.