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Vital information and articles related to happiness.

Smile - A Look at False Happiness

Smile... You'll make your brain wonder what your face is up to.

Have you ever seen a poster featuring that old saying "Smile, everyone will wonder what you're up to?"

Where I grew up there was a version of that poster hanging in our laundry room that had Garfield on it, his big cat grin

was always pretty humorous.

But no matter how I tried I couldn't force myself to

smile all the time. I felt like a moron trying to walk around with a grin on my face for no reason. I was just talking to a friend at work and he said he was driving along behind woman and he caught sight of her face in her side view mirror, she was wearing a huge grin. Maybe she was

listening to something funny on the radio, that would do it, then again maybe she was just applying that old "feel good" technique.

That's actually what it is. Check it out - when you hear, see or think something funny your brain releases endorphins that cause you to feel pleasant and happy, the muscles that make you smile go to work and you end

up looking happy.

It's been found to work in reverse too. When you smile for no reason, your brain will release endorphins causing you to feel happy. So, you can smile because you're happy, or smile to be happy,

it works either way. But is it a good idea to pretend be happy all the time? I don't think so.

Someone who tries to be happy all the time could end up being confused with their inner feelings and emotions. There's no logic in smiling just so others "wonder what you're up to." Even if smiling makes us feel happy, there's a time and a place.

There's a fellow where I work who's always sporting a dumb grin with his eyebrows raised as if he's in a state of euphoria. He looks like a complete idiot. I don't wonder what he's up to, I wonder why the heck he walks around looking like a dope

all day.

A positive attitude is one thing, a false expression of happiness is quite another. Think positively, be positive all you want, that's great. But why sport a smile just to appear happy? Will it truly make you

happy?

Humans have various emotions and facial expressions to match

them. We can't trick ourselves into being happy, we'll only end up fooling ourselves and looking like demented twits to everyone we pass on

the street. If we're sad we need to feel sad, let the emotion run it's course and get to the bottom of the sadness. If we're angry we need to handle our anger, not try to mask it with a phony smile.

Where I grew up there was another poster, this one hanging on my father's filing cabinet. It was, and still is, my favorite sentiment. It was a

close-up of a majestic bald eagle, appearing rather stoic, with eyes half-massed, beak fixed and stern. The caption: "I Am Smiling."

Be yourself, and feel the way you feel. Everyone will wonder why you're not like everyone else.

Drew Vics, an artist, writer & musician from New Jersey, writes for Myeyez.net, & for other websites online.

MORE RESOURCES:

Happiness shows how far UM has fallen - Sun-Sentinel.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/college/sfl-flspmikec12sboct12,0,2840261.columncid=1256193832ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNG1DjBj8ph65P3YZLX9g3d2w6fWGAbHappiness/b shows how far UM has fallen/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSun-Sentinel.com,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr48 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1It was sad watching the Miami Hurricanes trudge through an awful game with Central Florida at soggy Dolphin Stadium. Even sadder was hearing them express b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Poll: Political crisis brings down happiness index - Bangkok Post

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php%3Fid%3D131358cid=0ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNHkoBs6asFQlvyrpheGXHTWt6X6MQPoll: Political crisis brings down bhappiness/b index/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBangkok Post,nbsp;Thailandnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Gross Domestic bHappiness/b Index (GDHI) survey of 3293 respondents was conducted in 18 provinces from October7 to 11, ABAC Poll Research Centre director b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

EDITORIAL: The keys to happiness - Trading Markets (press release)

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/1937033/cid=1254444536ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNHDD9KPmz5lAtw5DwJPijYRj82upgEDITORIAL: The keys to bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTrading Markets (press release),nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Oct 12, 2008 (Boston Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- F | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Ford Motor Co. will introduce b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Happiness or bust - London Free Press

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MONEY CAN BUY HAPPINESS - Naples Daily News

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Dear Jamaica - Choosing happiness - Jamaica Gleaner

Experts say happiness just can#39;t be bought - eTaiwan News

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php%3Fid%3D761069cid=0ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNG-Ce35RRG2yMp4qf5ZPtlk0B6MhAExperts say bhappiness/b just can#39;t be bought/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6feTaiwan News,nbsp;Taiwannbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Researchers like Diener are trying to convey what philosophers have long written, that true bhappiness/b lies only in the pursuit of deeply held goals and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

A Lot of Sunshine, Beauty and Happiness in quot;Happy-Go-Lucky” - eFluxMedia

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2008/10/10/happy_go_lucky/cid=1255948746ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNEy9aLYImvkcdZQR29FEFkU_ZaddAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=iGAkc4a0nooJimgurl=images.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2008/10/10/happy_go_lucky/story.jpg width=80 height=51 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Salon/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_A_Lot_of_Sunshine_Beauty_and_Happiness_in_Happy_Go_Lucky_26361.htmlcid=1255948746ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNFp92zdk5ZJO7kU2ElQYXDXdROJHgA Lot of Sunshine, Beauty and bHappiness/b in quot;Happy-Go-Lucky”/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6feFluxMedianbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Irene Collins quot;Happy-Go-Lucky,quot; the latest film from five-time Oscar nominee, director Mike Leigh, opened Friday. Sally Hawkins, who plays Poppy, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-1fd=Rurl=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2008/10/happiness_proves_its_own_rewar.htmlcid=1255948746ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNFJlBwWh3ICLQaA8rvfbM0rEPl3RgbHappiness/b proves its own reward/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-2fd=Rurl=http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm%3Fnewsid%3D20158212%26BRD%3D2729%26PAG%3D461%26dept_id%3D569331%26rfi%3D6cid=1255948746ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNEAy00D5IOm5_XIh3kLAr3juLQtswPollyanna Poppy/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrGay City News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-3fd=Rurl=http://www.azcentral.com/ent/movies/articles/2008/10/09/20081009mikeleigh1009.htmlcid=1255948746ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNGrk9GLRSiNIp0O42DoTN-RnExFyQIt#39;s not all happy, or lucky, for Mike Leigh/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAZ Central.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-4fd=Rurl=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2008/10/10/features/encore/encore9.txtcid=1255948746ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNHCql8dwKQU8jMRkWtQFaiH8n_85gnobrCarroll County Times (subscription)/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-5fd=Rurl=http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/movies/10happ.html%3Fref%3Dartscid=1255948746ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNE-4T-gwKoNBTwfbgEUBwVHsBJNTQnobrNew York Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255948746hl=ennobrall 67 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#39;I wish Pa much health and happiness#39; - Times of India

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Release of abducted sailor brings happiness to family - Press Trust of India

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://www.ptinews.com/pti%255Cptisite.nsf/0/4D9A11F2F9414FBA652574DF004F5AA0%3FOpenDocumentcid=1256453910ei=WBjySNiOMJ7M8AThyMzMBwusg=AFQjCNFaFTaM4uUBFduH2SLP6lZwbENv9wRelease of abducted sailor brings bhappiness/b to family/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPress Trust of India,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobrOct 11, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Panaji, Oct 11 (PTI) With the news of Anthony Clive Themudo#39;s release at Navelim village in South Goa, known for its sailor community, Anthony#39;s family b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Happiness - Google News

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