Why One Single Smile Can Shift Your Entire Day
- Brainz Magazine
- Dec 3
- 7 min read
Sara has a unique ability to quickly shift energy into presence and joy through her work as a mindfulness coach, speaker, and yoga instructor. She is also the author of the book One with Nature (published in 2025) and a popular speaker in the field.
“How can you be so happy?” It’s a question I’ve been asked more times than I can count. A question filled with curiosity, confusion, or even disbelief whenever someone hears my story, that I lost both my parents within just eleven days. Four years have passed since then, and still, people ask as if happiness is something reserved only for those untouched by grief. As if losing someone you love automatically means losing every piece of joy in your life. But believe me when I say this, it is possible to feel happiness even after deep loss, pain, and grief.
Healing happens step by step, and sometimes it begins with something as small as a smile, one you give yourself, one you offer to someone else, or one you receive. This article is about why that matters, how it works, and how the simple act of smiling has the power to reconnect you with yourself, with others, and with the world.
The beauty and biology of a smile
A smile might not seem like it does much, but inside the body, it sets off a wide range of biological responses. A genuine smile can strengthen social connections and support overall well-being. It softens the nervous system, signals safety, and invites the brain to release the chemicals that foster connection and belonging. A smile says, I see you, even if just for a second. And that matters more than we think.
The human brain mirrors the emotional states it sees. When you smile at someone, you activate their mirror neurons, which often cause them to smile too, automatically, instinctively. In that shared moment, a silent exchange happens. I acknowledge you. We are connected. It’s subtle, but it’s powerful.
The healing power of laughter
Let’s take it a step further, "What happens if a smile is allowed to grow even more?" A smile is like opening a door, and the next step is stepping through it, into laughter. Laughter changes us physiologically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. It interrupts stress, dissolves emotional barriers, and brings us back to the present moment while helping us feel more connected.
Here are some things that can happen when you laugh:
Endorphins are released, which can act as natural painkillers.
Dopamine levels may rise, boosting feelings of pleasure and motivation.
Serotonin can increase, helping improve mood and emotional regulation.
Cortisol often decreases, reducing stress and anxiety.
Laughter also has the power to create connections. When we laugh together, oxytocin is released, the bonding hormone. This deepens trust, emotional safety, and a sense of belonging. Have you ever noticed how quickly you can feel close to someone you’ve laughed with? Even if it’s with a complete stranger, the moment you share a laugh, you suddenly feel a step closer to one another. A simple reminder that we are human in the same way.
How your happiness affects others
Smiles and laughter carry us closer to happiness because, of course, they are connected. Research shows that happiness isn’t just an individual experience, it naturally spreads between people. When someone becomes happier, that feeling can ripple outward to those around them. Humans naturally tune in to the mood of their environment. This means that if you are surrounded by negativity, stress, or bitterness, you are likely to absorb it too.
This isn’t about blaming others or forcing positivity. It’s about awareness, recognizing that our emotional well-being is influenced by the people we surround ourselves with, and that we also influence the spaces we enter. That awareness opens the door to change, to reflect on who we keep close and just as importantly, who we are within those relationships.
Five practices to cultivate more smiles and joy
1. Begin with gratitude
Gratitude rewires the brain by shifting attention away from what is missing and toward what is present. It can be life-changing, especially during times of loss, transition, or increased worry and anxiety.
Every day, write down at least five things you are grateful for, and why. It can be anything, a friend, your dog, the sunshine, having food to eat, the ability to walk, a new job, or an upcoming trip. Once you’ve written your list, take a moment to read through it and truly feel gratitude for everything you have. Let yourself notice how even the smallest things bring meaning and warmth to your life.
Gratitude turns your inner gaze from lack to abundance, a shift that often brings a smile before you even realize it.
2. Practice awareness
Stress, rumination, irritation, and constantly being caught up in our thoughts block our capacity to smile. Awareness opens up the space for us to smile again.
Some things you can do to practice awareness:
Meditation
Breathing exercises
Limiting screen time
Yoga
Nature walks
Putting your phone away when spending time with a friend
Listening to calming music
Spending time in silence
All of this helps you return to the present moment, step out of autopilot, reduce stress, relax your body and mind, and gradually become someone who is more present, naturally leading to a smile.
3. Offer small acts of kindness
Explore how small yet powerful actions can create more smiles, gratitude, and friendliness. These can include, for example, the following:
Smile and say hello to someone
Hold the door for someone
Make more eye contact when you communicate
Let someone go ahead of you in line
Say “thank you” with genuine presence
Give compliments
Check in on someone who might need support
Send a thoughtful message to a friend
Offer your seat on public transport
Listen without interrupting
These moments remind you that connection is everywhere, and these small gestures can do more than you think.
4. Learn from children – Play more
Children are a true source of inspiration for more joy and more smiles. They laugh, move freely, and express themselves freely, and they don’t care about looking silly. They don’t care about perfection. Let them be your teachers. Let them inspire you to release seriousness, stress, and the constant to-do lists.
Here are some ideas:
Play games, kick a ball, be playful
Dance with no expectations, simply moving freely
Laugh loudly with a friend
Be curious. Stop judging and choose curiosity instead
Try new things without the pressure to perform
Paint with color
Sing loudly without worrying about performing
By the way, have you ever noticed how much more children laugh throughout the day compared to adults?
5. Smile at yourself in the mirror
This is an important practice, and it can be uncomfortable for many people, which is exactly why it’s so important. Stand in front of a mirror. Look at yourself. Let your face soften. Take a long, deep breath and let a smile rise slowly. See yourself with the gentleness you deserve. And when you are ready for the next step, use affirmations like, “I believe in you.” “You deserve joy.” “You are amazing”.
This daily ritual strengthens your relationship with the person you spend your entire life with, yourself. And believe me, you are very beautiful in that smile.
We all have a choice
One day, during a deep meditation, a soft smile appeared on my face. I felt truly happy, and it was as if my eyes were shining, even though they were closed. Suddenly, I saw a scene, people standing in front of me, asking, “Why are you so happy? Do you always smile this much?” It was a situation I knew well from real life. For a moment, I felt myself shrink, hit by a fleeting sense of self-doubt. But then something inside me shifted, and I heard myself say, “Yes. God gave me this gift.” And then, even more clearly, “The truth is, we all received that gift. The only difference is whether we choose to receive it or not.”
In summary, what this meditation showed me, and what I want to share with you, is that we all have a choice.
A deeper meaning – Beyond the smile
I hope you understand that this article isn’t just about smiling. It’s about something more and deeper. I’m not offering a miracle cure or pretending that pain can be bypassed with a simple shift of the face. But I am here to remind you that small changes can create a bigger impact than you might think. Maybe you’re the one reading this who can be that helping hand when someone needs support, or the one who begins to see and appreciate yourself. Maybe you’re the one who offers a smile to someone close to you, someone you haven’t really looked at in a long time, or even to a complete stranger. Because what that smile is telling us is awareness, and it is there that we can begin to create a world where we see each other, and ourselves for that matter, and cultivate more connection, joy, and love.
The reason I am happy today is because I never stopped believing that change is possible. I allowed grief to guide me back to myself, back to my heart, and in that journey, something in me was reborn. My parents' loss became the beginning of my transformation, not the end of my happiness.
I truly believe that we can all contribute a little more to a happier, more loving world. And I truly believe that we all deserve to live a joyful life, no matter what life has taken, changed, or challenged us. A smile costs nothing, yet it can be the first step toward healing, connection, or even transformation. So ask yourself, "Who can I give a smile to today?"
Invitation to smile more
If you feel curious to explore how you, or your company, can smile more, and in doing so move closer to your heart and to greater happiness, I warmly welcome you to reach out to me, and to read more about my lecture “One single smile”. And I warmly invite you to dive deeper into my book One with Nature. Believe me, nature has a remarkable way of helping us smile more.
Read more from Sara Brinell
Sara Brinell, Author, Speaker & Awareness Guide
Sara is an expert in inner harmony and the healing power of nature. She carries a profoundly healing story, having experienced depression in her teenage years and, later in life, the early loss of both her parents. These experiences became part of a deeper journey that eventually led her to guide others back to their hearts through her work as a yoga instructor, mindfulness coach, and speaker. She also shares her insights through her book One with Nature. Her mission is to show that loneliness can become a path to deeper connection, and that nature can heal where words are not enough.
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