Jul 03 2008
How’s your smile today?
Have you ever counted how many different types of smiles there are? Hmm… don’t try. You will probably lose count if it’s true that we’re capable of over 200 different smiles as some people claim…
A smile is a very powerful weapon… it can be used to ‘break the ice’. We’re usually drawn to smiling faces, especially those that radiate kindness and friendliness.
A smile sends out a very positive energy too… it’s contagious, truly! My 5-month-old niece came to visit from Korea recently. She’s an absolute darling, smiling most of the time. No matter how tired I was or how bad my day went - and I had a very bad day one time - her innocent smile would instantly brighten me up! I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t smile at a baby for that matter, regardless of the mood he/she is in. ( I can’t resist, so I’m putting up my niece pics… with permission from my sister 
Isn’t she cute?!!)
Now, if the smile of an infant only several months old can have such a positive effect, imagine what ours can do.
Our smiles don’t just impact others, we feel good as well. There was a study done to prove a forced smile is better than no smile. Apparently, our brains don’t really know the difference between reality and pretense, so when you pretend to feel a certain way, say in this instance, smile… your brain will release endorphins (happy hormones) and you’ll feel better instantly. So that’s why they say keep smiling even if you don’t feel like it… the effects are far reaching…
There’s no conclusive study that tells us for sure how many smiles exist out there, but it’s safe to say many experts agree there are more than a dozen different ones. From genuinely happy to the more reserved, from the flirty flashes to the ‘I’m embarrassed’ grin. If you listen intently, you’ll see that smiling also affects how we speak… to the point that we can identify the type of smile based on sound alone!
While a smile usually means something good, we know that sometimes they are not what they seem. No, not phoney… just more… complex shall we say? As Shakespeare’s character in Macbeth states ” There’s daggers in men’s smile.”… They’re definitely not the warm type.
Anyway, the reason why I brought up the subject on smiles is because I just interviewed a Japanese lady on PTM… Momoyo Torimitsu. She embarked on a very interesting project looking at how your profession determines the smile you put on everyday… and you wear it like a costume.
She talked about 4 different types of smiles:
- The confident but cautious businessman smile
- Warm and helpful “I’m at your service” hotel bellboy smile
- Fun and Friendly nursery school teacher smile
- Overzealous and excited entertainer smile
Of course, there are many more… Well, out of curiosity, Steve and I asked “So how would you categorize our smiles?”
We labeled ourselves ‘the genuine smile’.
What we failed to mention is that it’s a ‘necessary smile’ too.
Our smiles in the morning help us… well, it certainly does for me and I’m hoping it helps you too - to start your day on a positive and informed note.
So, what say you?
To smile is always good. Provided that lady across the road doesn’t think that I am up to no good. Or maybe a sales person smiling a little too much tells me “you cannot be trusted”.
well, one thing for sure, i know your sweet smile has lots of positive effect on us every morning! keep up the good job in PTM…well done!
Well defintely your smile on the big screen has bought the warmth to those who are taking public transport in the early hours of the morning, really cramped together like a pack of sardines and watching TV mobile showcasing Channelnewsasia.
It’s great seeing your smile every morning! =D
I absolutely love your smile!! because its genuine, it gives me (and many others i’m sure!) a great way to start our day, and certainly helps us to spread the smiles around too!!
have a wonderful day! ^ ^
Suzanne, I can’t agree more. I smile when i speak to ‘can’t get sense into their heads’ colleagues, despite feeling like slapping them many times over.
And hey, you have a ‘I’m happy to see all of you in the morning’ look. And I love watching PTM for that.
Keep up the great work!
I trust my smile’s flattery, bribery, corruption and deception every day and that’s tough going but it’s easier with every passing day and I hope I can get back my smile, without any mis interpretation.
What was your bad day like?
Certainly, your blog does brought me a smile… to saw your description of your lovely niece reminds me of my own niece.
A smile transcends all barriers …. I wish your smile will bring more viewerships to those who wish to brighten their day…..
Suzanne by any name will smile as sweet…..
I loved every moment of your presentations right from the start
You smile the same old way; very honest and sincere.
I can’t help but keep smiling too.
I wish to see everyone smile like you.
You are the One & Only
I call SA - the Smiling Angel
Hi Suzanne and Steve, great team with great smile. How you guys could smile with that little sleep before the show… Well, missing your morning show as i couldn’t watch them from chennai…
Thanks Suzanne, I enjoyed reading your blog.
About smiles, I know some people who just have smiley faces
and there are people who just look stern all the time although that’s not their intent, but when they smile, it dazzles!
think i’m the stern face, so i’m told to smile more often.
hi Suzanne
Your smile awaken my sleepy head every morning you are on the telly….lovely, unpretentious smile! To everyone too on PTM.. sophiscated Jenny included!
Hi Suzanne, I enjoyed your blog and enjoy every moment of your presentations. Keep up the great job and keep smiling.
[...] How’s your smile today? [...]
Rachel’s absolutely lovely, adorable, cute & innocent!!
About Steven & your smile…hmm…well, they are confident, fun, friendly and warmth…that’s what I think.
About smiling, I think it’s important to keep smiling (appropriately, but of course!) it exercises the muscles on the face to some extent. I had a friend who said, “can’t smile…muscles too tight and frozen…so only can show the grump!” Well, that’s her reason for not smiling…hmmm, i am sure she’s just joking! But I wonder if one kept a grumpy look all the time, besides the psychological impact, is the muscle also being re-programmed and forget how to smile…ermmm…just a thot…what do you think?
According to Dr. Martin Seligman, author of Authentic Happiness, there are two kinds of smiles, the “Duchenne smile” and the “Pan American” smile. Here is how Seligman describes the two smiles, “The first called Duchenne smile (after its discoverer Guillaume Duchenne) is genuine. The corners of the mouth turn up and the skin around the corners of your eyes crinkles (the crow’s feet). …The other smile, called the Pan American smile (after the flight attendants in television ads for the now-defunct airline), is inauthentic.” (Authentic Happiness p.5)
With the Duchenne smile, the facial muscles involved make it difficult to control voluntarily. Therefore, it’s difficult to fake a Duchenne smile unless you smile from within.
The Pan American smile is a perfunctory smile. It is a courtesy smile as in the case of a flight attendant responding to a patron. It’s an expression of courtesy and politeness rather than inner joy.
Source: http://www.mindpub.com
What do you and readers think:
- Do Singaporeans generally smile genuinely (Duchenne smile)?
- Is this necessarily superior to the alternatives?
- Could our attitude and approach to service (perfunctionary nature) be a contributory cause of the perception that Singaporean service isn’t warm enough / inconsistent?
Hi Suzanne,
It’s nice to see your blog. Please keep up your good work and your smile every morning on Channel NewsAsia is great!
Hi Suzanne. The moment i wake up every weekday, i will be tuning in to look at you… You are very pretty and have a lovely smile…
Jeff, I think if the smile’s spontaneous, it’s authentic but when the smile’s inhibited it’s not. So yes, attitude’s important for a genuine smile. The superior smile’s forced and bashful I guess. Next time I smile, I shall examine whether it’s out of real happiness or feigned but there are no guaranteed interpretations for the smile. Yet keep smiling and the whole world will smile with you.
Thanks Ravin.
That’s fantastic; starting with the man in the mirror.
It’s definitely a good reminder for me.
I believe that a smile can represent a deep felt acknowledgement of the human being (person) in our presence. Such a connection with with another person is usually quite gratifying.
I think that when you keep on smiling, it sorta becomes a habit to the point that you smile as an automatic reaction to most things. Thats the way it seems to be for me. Not really complaining about that though!
Love your smile every morning…keep up the good work, and yes, your niece is cute…but you are BEAUTIFUL!!
Smile
Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through
for you
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you’ll just
Smile
“Smile” - Charlie Chaplin
i agree with the viewers and you that smile is important incuding the business industry . i also learn that in my study in ITE office .
I just know that I have happy hormones in me.
Anyway, your smile & Steven’s in ChannelNews every morning work for me
Smile’s contagious and no smiles infectious, trust humours best medicine but hope, laugh with others, not at others. Your voice is so sweet on ptm the whole week long!
You smile is great!
Your smile is great!
Hi Suzanne.
I totally agree with you. “Our smiles don’t just impact others, we feel good as well.” A smile goes a long way to brighten up many who are weary, especially some of us who could have been disappointed and saddened by unwelcomed happenings. On the flip side, a lack of smile, especially those from the service sector could easily dampen the spirit of many.
I wrote an article on this - http://effectivetraining.wordpress.com/smile-the-most-basic-element-of-service
great post and its’ well inspired contribution to someone like me…someone pessimistic… i just a barely smile person.. But, after i read this, i’d tried to “force” myself to smile and i found it’s a magical effect as it’s really lighten me up for the rest of my day… maybe i should just practise this everday…
Do you smile as often as you anchoring the show when your not in the show?
It just reflects on the environment that you are in.
Lousy stressed place = long face
mundane place= sullen face
rather common facial expressions.
I think I’m incapable of smiling now that my jowl muscles have freezed. Maybe even a grimace wouldn’t look so silly if its done with adequate sincerity.
its hard to force a smile unless you are well practiced at it, like
a politician’s, but then most of them look so cheesy and sickening.
its also creepy to see a singaporean being ‘happy smiley’ all the time, if it involves money I may feel suspicious, but I’ll put up a smiley face if i were a presenter on tv, what to do if its part of the job.
so you better smiiile.
Hi, I am not Singaporean and just travel in Asia and notice that Singaporeans smile very few. I mean the lay people (don’t count the “professionals smilers” like hotel receptionists, etc). What is the reason of this? Can anyone explain this phenomenon? Or may be is my personal perception?
Suzanne.. Ur simle is as cute as Ur Niece.. Sweet!!!
Smilings great! But laughter breaks all barriers!!! Including the probable unwanted gas released that results in a more contagious laughter.
Laughter also helps to loosen those tense muscles and works those dormant abdominals for those who are lazy to exercise.
Dear Suzanne
I love watching you and Steven on PTM every morning… You look perfect with your sweet smile and I am sure all the other viewers do agree…
Steve has that cute smile and not many men can do that:>
Smile, smile and cheers to you both for the great job on PTM
Good day
The chat on PTM with Ms Momoyo Torimitsu’s was pretty informative. You said there are over 200 different smiles???!! I did try to count the different smiles looking at the mirror
:-) always.
Your niece is absolutely cuuuuuuuute; I wish I had a chance to carry her and cherish her smile!!
I am reminded of “IT TAKES SEVENTEEN MUSCLES TO SMILE AND FORTY THREE TO FROWN” so, let’s S M I L E
Hi Suzzane..
It`s really nice to see your blog, I just want to say that you have a sweet smile with good attitude, in your smile every one can see that your a smart women. keep smile to all people and your the best!!
Your smile brightens up my day and lighten up my draggy feet to work daily… even though I can only hear you through the radio… Cheers.
The circus clown’s the unhappiest person but makes the audience laugh! What a paradox?
Smile is good! It always makes ppl happy. In Singapore, I have seen so many people with stressed look without any smile on trains, buses and streets. I guess perhaps Singapore life is too stressful. I personally like to smile a lot! Just that I have to cut down on my BIG smile! Singaporeans are just not used to people or strangers smiling too much at them!
But if I do see strangers and people with radiant smiles on their faces, guess I prob. just go up to them and say “Yr smile makes my day!”;>
Particularly with marraige, it’s important to share your partners enthusiasm and humour etc but with the general public I guess this depends on your field of endeavour.
*grins*
Hi Korean Girl,
I agree. A smile can impact others too. The other day I happened to walk by a teen beauty contest. The compere asked her,” what makes her different from other contestants?”. She answered,” I smell ( she meant smile ) a lot because my smell can make others smell too!
Central Bank of Sri Lanka has a prosperity smile index, wonder who will have a prejudice smile index next.
Omg!
Absolutely great blog!
I was sitting in front of my pc reading your comments, and I could not help myself but…SMILE!!
According of course to the prior mentioned Duchenne smile!
thanks a lot!!!
You realy helped me to view the day from another point of view and confident I am that I will manage to carry a happy expression throughout the day,and;therefore, spread happiness!!
I think so. A happy expression can make oneshelf confident 。