Hard to smile?

[Magnatolia]

Hi all,

I find it really hard to give a stranger a decent smile. Especially if it is an attractive woman. When I do it's usually a small and very quick smile. I know that most people when they receive a smile, their brain automatically makes them want to smile back.

However my smiles most likely don't seem genuine as they're too small and way too quick.

Any suggestions on how I can change this?

[GoingPrimal]

One thing you might want to consider doing is getting used to walking around with a half smile on your face all day long. It may sound a little weird but it will make you seem more open and friendly, and everyone will be wondering What the hell does this person have going on that makes them so happy? If you get used to half-smiling all the time, how hard could it be to shoot a stranger a strong smile?

The smile I'm talking about is a kind of "I just found 20 bucks on the ground and this cool breeze is really satisfying my soul" kind of smile. Just a content, lazy smile, the way a cat would smile if they could while napping in the sun.

Your smiles don't seem genuine because they aren't. When you actually smile, small muscles pull the corners of your eyes. This is really hard to fake.

My suggestion would be to have a funny joke, situation or other trigger to think about when you want to shoot someone a smile. This will cause you to genuinely smile. And if its an attractive woman, just think of how happy she'll be that you sent her a smile. It will likely make her day.

[24evita]

Great advice GoingPrimal!

I would also consider walking around with the thought that we are all connected, and through your smile, your soul wants to reach out to that other being. In our society today we are so pent up on thinking "what will the other person think, or what is the other person's intention, etc?" I know as a woman I had a hard time with that myself, especially if a male smiled at me, many times I would not return the smile, mostly out of being too conscious of the other person's motives, not out of not being nice. However today that is very different, I realized something myself, which I am still working on myself too and that is we do need to let go more and connect with others out there, even if it is through only a smile

[SeanFu]

Originally Posted by GoingPrimal

One thing you might want to consider doing is getting used to walking around with a half smile on your face all day long.

I 100% agree with this statement. It took me many years to actually understand this fact.

[AnonymousOne]

Originally Posted by SeanFu

I 100% agree with this statement. It took me many years to actually understand this fact.

And yet in your picture you look like you're ready to kill someone. You need more practice.

Anyway, on topic: if you have trouble smiling at attractive women "especially", that's probably a confidence issue.

[skywalker160]

Watch something funny and laugh

People are always wondering why i'm so happy.

Jonathan