Smile and be Happy

Yesterday’s celebration of our country’s Independence Day sparks sentimental feelings of pride as we reflect on how truly special our nation is.  Very few countries around the globe so fiercely protect their freedoms quite like America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.  Maybe that’s because our governing documents ensure every individual’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, allowing the American dream to become a reality for so many hard working U.S. citizens.  It’s in the pursuit of happiness that brings forth the ingenuity and determination to make our world a better place, and it is also here where my mind begins to wander as I ponder just what it is to be happy and how to go about finding it.

Many people have tried to find happiness in material possessions, trying to buy themselves this euphoric state of mind.  And while having a nice house, car, boat, clothes, jewelry, etc. does often bring feelings of joy, they are typically fleeting as studies have shown time and again that money truly cannot buy happiness.  Maybe happiness lies within a successful career or a large, loving family.  But I’ve met people without either who seem to be just as happy as can be.  There are several quotes floating around the internet about happiness being a choice.  I’m not sure who said it first, but I think it’s pretty profound.  You aren’t going to someday stumble upon happiness.  It’s not something that can simply be found.  You have to choose to be happy every day, in how you perceive the world and react to what comes your way.  Do you have a difficult time with keeping that positive perspective? I do too.  But did you know it can be as simple as forcing yourself to smile? I recently read a WebMD article about a study that was conducted on a college campus.  Researchers found that whether students smiled spontaneously or on purpose, brain activity was nearly the same and subjects felt happier.  Who knew? You can actually become a happier person just by smiling more!

So now that we’ve found the secret to happiness, shouldn’t it be easy for everyone to achieve it? That would just be too easy.  There are millions of Americans who are embarrassed by their smile and literally cringe at the thought of showing it off.  Whether cracked or missing teeth, stains, an overbite, or crooked teeth are to blame, millions suffer from smile anxiety because they are insecure with how their smile appears.  And if you suppress smiling out of embarrassment, you’re not only dealing with feelings of insecurity, you are quite literally robbing yourself of happiness.  Once upon a time, there was nothing anyone could do about such a tragic scenario, but with the development of cosmetic dentistry, there are now numerous options to improve your smile.  From teeth whitening to Invisalign, implants to gum contouring, there is a treatment available to correct your issue.  It is a basic human right to be happy.  If you could improve your happiness level with a dental procedure, why wouldn’t you? Contact your dentist today and for once, choose to be happy.