I always try to smile and say hi to strangers walking down Rose St. on my way to work. Some return the favour but many don’t and that’s okay.
If a stranger smiled at you on the street, what would you do? Return the smile, or punch that smirk right off their face? A poll for National Smile Month found the average person smiles at a stranger five times a week. And being on the receiving end of a random smile lifts our spirits for an average of 13 minutes. But it’s not true for everyone.
One in six people said they rarely or never return a smile from a stranger, often because they’re skeptical about the person’s motives. Other reasons for not returning a smile include: You’re afraid it’ll be weird, you’re in a rush, you’re too embarrassed, and you just weren’t paying attention, so the moment passed.
But whether it’s a stranger or a friend, seeing someone else smile made the list of the top things that can immediately make YOU smile. Here are the Top 10 . . .
- Being on vacation.
- Waking up to a sunny day.
- Receiving a kind gesture.
- Someone else smiling at you.
- Hearing good news about a loved one.
- Making someone else laugh or grin.
- Getting a surprise gift.
- Winning money.
- Receiving a thank you.
- Spending time outside in the sun.
A few more that just missed the Top 10: Running into an old friend, looking at old photographs, watching funny videos online, hearing a baby laugh, finding money in your pocket, and hearing a song that you really love.
