You call this an article!?I should probably warn you that this is my first proper post, and I haven’t learned what makes good writing yet. Please bear with any mistakes that I’ve made, and I’d love to hear some feedback if possible. Thanks!

I was recently reading a very inspiring post by Oscar at Freestyle Mind entitled ‘27 Traits of Successful People‘. I highly recommend everyone who wants to be someone (and that should be all of you reading my blog anyway :) ) to print out that list and put it in a place that you’ll see it often. Make a pop-up card on your desk, pin it up in your cubicle, or stick it on the fridge.

What really struck me in that list, and what I’d like to talk to everyone about, is No. 7.

They smile.

According to Oscar, successful people “smile often and genuinely to rise positiveness and build strong relationships” and I agree with that 100%. I’ve found that I can always get a better response from people, whether it’s faster service, a cheerier waiter, or even an uplifting conversation in the elevator up to the office, by just smiling. A smile is a way to ease anxiety, discomfort, and worry, and also to build trust.

When the mask cracks.

Let’s face it. It’s not always easy to smile. Sometimes the whole day is just out to get you. Sometimes Bob the Co-Worker takes credit for your work. Sometimes your kids greet you at the front door with complaints about who broke who’s toy. And while you can hope that the sounds coming from the washing machine is your laundry doing itself, you just know it’s little Fido the puppy ripping the paint job to bits with his claws.

So what do you do on days like those? It’s a Catch-22 situation. Things would be better, or at least look it, if you smiled, but you’re not smiling because things don’t look good in the first place. If left alone, the situation will only get spiral even worse.

So here are some quick-fixes for you to smile and make that spiral one that is positive, uplifting, and energetic.

1) See funny shapes, even in storm clouds.
Every situation has a potential for humour. Just think about all the comedies you’ve ever seen. Not all of them are about people having fun. Some people get hurt, some people get bullied, and if you’re a South Park fan, even death can be a humorous thing. Imagine yourself as a character in your favourite show. Your ridiculous deadline, your tough boss, your annoying co-worker, everything, toss it into the scene. And imagine someone watching you. Imagine that person having the time of his life watching you. Imagine him with that great big smile on his face.

You’re smiling now, aren’t you? That’s because smiling is infectious. Once you realised that you’ve made someone else smile, you’ll realise that it’s not very hard to smile about the same scenario. You’re going to have to face all of that anyway, so why not get a few giggles out of it?

2) Fake it until you make it.
Yes, it’s a popular mantra used in psychology. Patients are taught to act brave, or confident, or calm, until that act enforces a more natural counterpart. You’ve definitely felt it before. Acting jolly in front of kids boosts your spirit, while acting polite and gentle with the elderly immediately makes you feel more mild-mannered.

The exact same principle applies to smiling and being happy. While you may think it looks silly to force a smile on your face, the truth is very few people will guess that it’s fake. And once you see the effects of your fake smile, your real smile will come naturally. Bob the Annoying Co-Worker is suddenly less sure of his footing with you, making you feel more powerful. Fido’s running to sit down and nuzzle beside you instead of cowering in terror under the couch. And your kids feel so much more connected to you instead of being afraid to tell you things.

3) Sketch, sway, and sing your way.
I thank my lucky stars every time I draw that I was gifted with not only a way to express myself, but a way to make a living doing so. And as you’ll no doubt agree, not everyone is so lucky.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t call on some creative drive when you need it. I don’t need to quote studies that relate self-expression to mood, do I? Anyone who has doodled on notepads, sung at karaokes, or simply busted a few moves when no one was watching already knows the effect it has. And really, you don’t need to do it well. In fact, the worse you do it, the more fun you’ll probably have.

If you’re feeling down right now, and need a slight boost to your happiness, or you’re just looking for another reason to smile, try these tips out. You’ll find that the day gets just a little more colourful and a little brighter.