When Louis Armstrong sang, “When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you,” he probably didn’t expect that scientists would one day back up his claim. Well, according to several new studies, Armstrong’s was right on the money – and this has big implications for people who want to make friends as an adult.

The studies mentioned below show that smiling is one of the most powerful ways to improve your own mood, while making those around you happy.

Smiling is Contagious

Have you ever noticed that smiling is contagious? When you smile, it’s difficult for others not to smile back. Well, now, this observation is being backed up by science.

A Swedish study found that people find it extremely difficult to frown when they are looking at a picture of someone else smiling. In fact, returning a smile is so natural that doing anything else requires conscious effort.

So, when you enter a room, one of the best things that you can do is put a genuine smile on your face. In doing so, you will create a chain reaction of positivity that will carry you through the day.

Smiling Changes How You See Others

According to another report, published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, smiling changes the way that we interpret others’ emotions. By measuring the electrical activity in volunteers’ brains, the team determined that smiling helps us to see the people around us as being more positive.

Specifically, they found that when people are not smiling, they interpret “neutral” faces as “neutral.” However, when people are smiling, they tend to interpret “neutral” faces as if they were “happy.”

So, when you smile, the world becomes a happier place. Do you think that seeing the people around you as more positive would make you more likely to talk to them? I do!

Smiling Helps You to Be More Positive

It’s no secret that we like to be around positive people. When we see someone with a genuine smile on their face, we feel relaxed. We also instinctually see smiling people as confident, which is a highly attractive trait.

Did you know that, when you smile, your brain releases feel-good chemicals that can help to lift your mood? With more serotonin flowing through your brain, you will feel better about yourself and will be more likely to reach out to others.

Smiling around others is powerful. The more we smile, the more we want to talk with others. The more we talk with others, the more confident we feel. The more confident we feel, the more natural our smiles become.

So, why not give it a try. Smile at the people you pass on the street. Smile to yourself in the mirror. Watch a few minutes of stand-up comedy every morning. Do whatever it takes to smile more. Your body and brain will thank you!

Do you feel better when you smile? What makes you smile? Have you noticed that when you smile, the whole world smiles with you? Please join the conversation and “like” and share this article to keep the discussion going.