How to find a smile everywhere

Take a look around you. What is it that you see? Perhaps I don’t yet know you and I don’t know your circumstances though what I do know is that for each of us the answer will be different. Maybe you are living in a mansion or maybe you were living in an airstream trailer. Maybe you are in the desert or Paris or maybe you live on the beach. For each person it will be a different and unique experience. Really look around you right now and see all the things in your immediate area and realize that this experience will also be different for everybody. Do you have a reason to smile?

Even though I may not know you, the one thing I do know is that when each of us looks at the news on television or reads the newspaper the one commonality is all of the negativity in these various forms of media. it creates a world where everything and everyone often seems to be against you and the entire weight of the world rests on your shoulders.

The other thing I know about you, and to paraphrase my Internet Pal Rachel Rofe, is that if you are reading this you have access to the Internet and free will and a thirst for knowledge which to me means you have the ability to change your world.

So the challenge is- can we escape all this negativity? I really don’t think we can. Unless you just never turn on the news or never open a newspaper it will always be around us. In fact even advertising is full of negativity. The ads say that in order to be happy we have to drive that fast car or have a hot girlfriend or boyfriend. I do not think that is true. We don’t need all that stuff to make us happy. We just need certain mindset.

I do believe we can be happy without all those fancy things. I think if you just take a minute and look around, you can find things that make you smile in anything around you. Take a look around your environment again. What do you see you there? Does that they make you smile? Does it bring back fond memories? Do you see something that you are planning and looking forward to? Maybe you will even form a little smile.

Did you see something that made you smile? What about those flowers over there? Or that mother holding her new baby? Surely you see the beauty in that? Or what about that dog over there chasing the butterfly? What? You’re stuck in your 12th floor office cubicle? Then just close your eyes and imagine a dog chasing a butterfly. There you go. Surely that made you smile right?

I love things that make you smile

Maybe it is some activity you did recently? Maybe that concert you went to or that hypnosis show you went to on your wild trip to Vegas or that one scene from your favorite James Bond movie or…

Me? How do I change my mindset to avoid the negativity? I think about something, anything that can make me smile. But how do I do it when everything is so dark? There is beauty in everything around you. Don’t yet believe me? Try this for a second. Just stop and take a look around you. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Don’t worry, no one will think you look silly. Beside, even if they do, who reallycares? Maybe you will ever help them crack a smile. And would that be so bad really?

I know there is something out there that makes you smile. As hard as it sometimes is, I try to see the beauty in everything. Even if I was in the middle of a desert or the ocean with nothing around, there is still the warmth of the sand or the shimmer of the sun off the water that can make you smile. Or you can always go inside yourself and think about things in the past that made you smile.

The other day here in Las Vegas it had just finished raining. (Yes it actually does rain in Las Vegas in the desert.) And on this particular day I looked up and I saw a rainbow and then I noticed that it was actually a double rainbow. Now I ask you this, who cannot smile at the site of a double rainbow? And then all the other things the rain had brought with it as well. The smell of the rain or the flowers that had been blooming. There were now puddles in the street that could be jumped in so that a big splash would come out on either side. How can you not smile about that?

traffic jam in dubai

One recent day, Paul Shortino the former lead singer of Quiet Riot and now starring in the hit Las Vegas show Raiding The Rock Vault, said to me, “When you are stuck in traffic, don’t be annoyed at the traffic but be grateful that you actually have a car.” My point exactly. Even when the situation does not look too joyful around you you can always find something in that to make you smile and like Carl Spackler from Caddyshack said, “So I got that going for me…which is nice.”

So what is 1KSmiles all about?

baby sour face

I started www.1KSmiles.com to help you see the positive in life so that with each blog post I can help trigger a memory. A memory of something that makes you smile. It might be that time you saw a dog shaking off water. Or maybe it was the time you went on your very first date with your spouse to a baseball game or watching a baby eat something new for the first time and making that sour baby face. Who knows what it is that makes you smile but like Paul said all you have to do is spin it around and find the positive in anything.

1KSmiles will offer you 1,000 things that make me smile. It could be anything from the sound of a sonic boom to that gentle blue part of a flame. Nothing is off limits. It just has to makes me smile.

More important, I hope it makes you smile as well. Which is where you come in… 1KSmiles was created one day sitting around the pool thinking about what could help make each day just a little brighter as well as what would bring a smile to the reader’s face. To your face. And with that the 1KSmiles movement was created. And that made me smile.

smile scrabble board

How can you help or contribute?

What about you? What are some things that always make you smile? Leave your answers in the comments below and maybe I will use your idea in a future post.

Visit the 1KSmiles Facebook page and add 1KSmiles to your daily reading schedule using Feedly or similar and enjoy your daily dose of smiles.

Oh yeah, and …

comments cookie monster

(We always welcome suggestions and guest posters. Click here to submit.)

147 Replies to “How to find a smile everywhere”

  1. I live next to an elementary school in Japan. Some mornings I hear the sound of 200 happy children in the swimming pool. It’s a hard sound to discribe, but is sure is a happy and excited sound. That makes me smile every time.

  2. I love the idea of a blog all about reminding people to smile more 🙂 Definitely watching my kiddos grow and play and be happy makes me smile! Gorgeous spring weather today definitely made me smile! And your post made me smile to!

  3. Okay, okay, I’ll comment! Just don’t eat my cookies!

    I agree that it can be incredibly difficult to tune out the negativity and find reasons to smile, but like you say the reasons are there! My dog always makes me smile because she is so inadvertently hilarious. She does the silliest things (she actually painted herself red once – long story)!

    I also try to set up my environment to make me smile. I have lots of splashes of bright red in my workspace and I keep things on my desk that make me happy, like some journals I bound that turned out especially well.

    Great post – thank you!
    Kara Sjoblom-Bay recently posted…Extreme DownsizingMy Profile

  4. Thank you – this made me smile 🙂 I’m someone who has to work at being optimistic, and I really appreciate the help 🙂

    My daughter’s cat makes me smile because he is so awkward and lovely, and slightly cross-eyed when he’s tired which makes him look a little bit spacey.
    Mary recently posted…Hoisin ChickenMy Profile

    • I agree. Often it is hard to keep a positive attitude. I like to keep little things around the house or in my car to remind me how blessed I am.
      Give that a try perhaps.
      Thanks for stopping by and for your wonderful comment. I bet that cat does look silly sometimes. Cats are good like that.
      Troy S. recently posted…Why I am quitting Facebook…sort of.My Profile

  5. This cheered me up so much! And your baby sour-face photo made me laugh out loud! I always find birds make me smile – there are lots of tiny birds which hop about near my house, and they also bring a smile to my face every morning.
    Bethan recently posted…February: how did it go?My Profile

    • Be sure to check out the other pages on 1KSmiles. There are probably a lot of things here to make you smile and a lot more coming so bookmark us and visit often.
      Thanks for your comment.
      Happy day!
      Troy S. recently posted…Cat videosMy Profile

  6. Ah yes, being happy and finding smiles. We’ve talked about this before.

    For the most part I find lots of things that make me smile and happy. For instance, just about 15 minutes ago I went to the store really quickly to get some ice cream. I wanted it because I saw a new brand of Ben & Jerry’s when I visited my mother out of town today.

    As I walked in I noticed they had moved the flowers to a more visible spot because of how late it was and the colors made me smile. As I was walking down the aisle there was a song playing that I loved from the 70’s and that made me smile.

    Then, as I was close to walking to the ice cream area these two young ladies came from another direction and we could have run into each other. Instead, we did the dance most people have done when you’re trying to figure out who’s going which way and that made all of us smile. In the ice cream aisle I found the ice cream I was looking for and I smiled more.

    Walking to the checkout another song came on and it made me smile because I remembered seeing that group life, as they opened for the Jacksons back in 1979. The lane I got in to pay was being run by this Indian woman named Sheena, who always picks on me because of some of my food choices (cough…). As I thought about it I smiled, and when I got to the front of the line she looked at my ice cream and smiled, which made me smile more.

    For me, it’s the little things in life that make me smile. We all just have to be open to enjoying the time when these things come to us because life isn’t permanent, although I’m going to do what I can to fight leaving this earth some day (naw, I ain’t going!).
    Mitch Mitchell recently posted…Protecting Your Social Media Presence By Not Being StupidMy Profile

    • Oh for sure. Seeing someone smile makes someone else smile. This is why it is important to have that positive attitude whenever and why you should bookmark this site and visit often…and tell your friends. 😉
      Troy S. recently posted…The Egg by Andy WeirMy Profile

  7. Kids smile 400 times a day. Adults? Twenty times a day….I find if I force myself to smile in the morning, the very act increases the amount I genuinely smile throughout the day. I also try to communicate with people who are more likely to put a positive spin on poor situations.

  8. Lots of things make me smile…..my children, the cute things they say and do, my husband buying me ice cream today, someone who speaks English to me in a Spanish speaking country, talking to my parents over skype. My list can go and on but what a good way to point out we need to open our eyes and hearts to see what really makes us smile!

    • Right. I used to live in Europe and the Middle East and sometimes I would feel lost then someone would want to practice their English with me. What a welcome sound! I know how you feel for sure. Full of smiles.
      Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by.
      Troy S. recently posted…Play-Doh: Case of ColorsMy Profile

  9. This is such a great website. I love having somewhere so uplifting that I can now visit for that warm, fuzzy feeling. I don’t like watching the news, because it’s so depressing.

    Children make me smile, especially my two grandsons (3yo and 2 1/2 mths old). A few days ago the eldest grandson informed us that his new name was Rocket because he runs fast. We had fun calling him Rocket until he told us that he went back to his old name. Then last night, he asked me to come to his house because he wanted to play with me. That made me smile. Of course, our littlest grandson makes me smile a lot, as well. Just watching him learn how to smile at me puts a smile on my face.

    Thanks for finding a way to share happiness with others.
    Charlie recently posted…Life Lessons Series: MoneyMy Profile

  10. What a wonderful post with a great idea! My family has been through so much, it is nice to think about looking for those happy things and smile. My goal for tomorrow and everyday after will be to look for at least one thing to make me smile no matter what. Thank you!
    Amanda Hopkins recently posted…Five Minute Friday ~ PlanMy Profile

    • Glad to help. Yes, just start with one thing and keep building on that. Soon you will find yourself spinning negative situations into positive in no time.
      In the car and find “Oh, I forgot my cell phone in the house.” so instead of complaining you have to turn the car off and go back inside you will soon find yourself grateful you did not already drive away.
      Makes things a bit brighter me thinks.
      Troy S. recently posted…20 Things to Start Doing in Your RelationshipsMy Profile

  11. This is such a great project. I will be following you. It can be the simplest things that bring a smile. The list is endless. Spreading smiles where ever we go. I attempt to make eye contact & smile at others when I am out & about, it’s great when they reciprocate. Have a great day & keep up the great work. 😀
    Tamara recently posted…Main Event – Spring Break FUNPassMy Profile

  12. As the person above said, dogs make me smile, especially my own. My best friend in high school had the philosophy that if you bring a smile to your face, your body will follow emotionally, and now of course, though yoga, I know she was wise beyond our years!
    Sarah recently posted…Let’s Here it for PiMy Profile

  13. Hello from Blogelina! We must be on the same wavelength. I don’t know if you’ve visited my blog yet, but my post on the #PinItForward Movement is very similar in sentiment. Creating even a fleeting moment of joy is a powerful gift to give and receive. Hoping it makes your 1KSmiles!!

  14. I live in a 3rd world country. In fact, my city has been in the top 10 most dangerous cities in the world for years now. I can’t say this is a beautiful place to live or you should come visit, but I can say I’m happy. Arguably even happier than I was when I lived in the US. Here I have my family (some of it, but still), I have my pets whose unconditional love instantly brighten my day – every day. I still see the beauty in this forsaken place every single day when I look out my window and see the mountains that surround my city, and the birds that perch on my balcony. I smile because even though there are a thousand reasons to cry in this place, it is my home and what has made me into who I am. I smile because it comforts me to know that I have the power to change my attitude and thus change my world. I smile in the hopes that my smile spreads like wildfire and somehow balances out the bad. Thanks for this post and for giving me more reasons to smile!
    Tiffany recently posted…Creative Ways To Spark Your Creativity [Part 1]My Profile

  15. What a great post! You are so right, there are so many things that we encounter each and every day that should make us smile, but we are too caught up in the busy’ness of life to notice. You can bet I will be changing that!
    Maureen recently posted…Bathroom Reveal!My Profile

    • The ‘Smile Stuff’? I LOVE it! Thank you for making me smile with the term Smile Stuff! Yes! I love it!
      Please come back and visit again. I really appreciate you and your comments. Oh, and can I ask you a little favor? Would you tell a friend or two? Thanks! 🙂
      Troy S. recently posted…Cat videosMy Profile

  16. You can find a smile everywhere. There is a great movie that shows this called “Life is Beautiful”, I think it is one of the best examples of how one can always look at the bright side and when there is no bright side, one can create it. 🙂

  17. Hey Troy…
    I really like your articles … you are such a nice blogger. you always comes with interesting stuff. I always read your post. This smile project is so helpful for every people in these days because every person is busy in his/her life . even some times they forgot to eat. In today’s life every person is busy with in his schedule even he don’t remember his relatives and friends.

    So, I really agree with your project . It is important for every person to smile and give some time to those people who make you laugh. and believe me you feel really better.

    Thanks..Davide
    David clarke recently posted…Advantages and Negatives of Gel BatteriesMy Profile

    • David. You are amazing. Thank you SO much for this awesome comment.
      I have to admit I have been slacking here lately as I have another project with a big launch coming up and well, as you are well aware, there are so many hours in the day. Now, if you will excuse me I should go make something to eat before I ‘work’ straight through lunch.
      Got to keep my batteries charged. 🙂
      Troy recently posted…#823 Monster trucksMy Profile

  18. Wow! What a great article. Thanks for sharing these tips. Investing some time and researching on whatever we do saves a lot of money and stress. These tips will help in a great level.

  19. Great article that got me thinking. While suffering from an autoimmune disease that eventually lead to a transplant this year, I was always looking for something to make me smile to take my mind off of the illness. My young children and music played a huge part in this. The joy children can bring to your life is enough to keep you smiling all day.
    Matt recently posted…Me TimeMy Profile

  20. I believe in the 80/20 rule. you know, where 80% of all reward comes from 20% of the effort? Well, I believe your blog is that 20%. I’ve added you to the list of sites that I frequent. Thank you for the in depth and detailed blog posts. Not many people are willing to do that anymore.

  21. You can find a smile everywhere. There is a great movie that shows this called “Life is Beautiful”, I think it is one of the best examples of how one can always look at the bright side and when there is no bright side, one can create it

  22. I love everything about your idea. You’re so creative. Please keep posting such wonderful posts. I’ve added you to the list of sites that I frequent. Thank you for the in depth and detailed blog posts.

  23. Thank you for this post, it is hard to stay positive in the current state of the world and as you mention, the constant harsh content on the news. I totally get the stuff about recalling a happy moment. Sometimes things as simple as a basic visualization or even a smell can really do wonders for your emotional health.

  24. Smile is hard to find now a days, due to tough life style. However, if we can change our attitude and the way we see things around us.. We might be able to have smiles around 🙂

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