Be the Change that You Want to See in the World- Gandhi

They say laughter is the best medicine. It would seem, then, that the best source of prevention of ills is a smile. U.S. Founding Father, Thomas Paine often repeated the words of Leonardo de Vinci, “The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from duress, and grows brave by reflection.” Mother Teresa said, “We shall never know all the great things a simple smile can do.” A smile is often underrated. Have you ever walked into a situation, a classroom setting, a job interview, a social mixer, and all it took was one smile to bring a sense of relief to the tension that you had inside of you? The power of a simple smile is quite remarkable and can change the world. If only more people would unleash the power they have within through a smile.

“A smile is a warm universal language of kindness” William Arthur Ward.  Regardless of the language or dialect we speak, a smile is understood by all. It is the unspoken word, yet communicated word of our soul. Just a simple smile can bring about a peaceful understanding, overcoming any language barrier. The universal nature of a smile is a divine by design to unite people across all time all time and space.

Paramahansa Yogananda, so eloquently stated, “Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.” We, indeed, have the power to bring joy, peace, and serenity to others through the power of our smile. Think of your smile as radiating sun beams from your heart, warming those around you. As Omar Ashraf Ezzeldin once stated, “Happiness isn’t by having a smile on your face, it’s by having one on your heart.” This means that our smile is so powerful, and such an extension of our soul, that its mere radiation within us, can cause outward manifestation in ourselves and others.

Kindness is not an act, but rather a state of being. When we choose to dwell in a place of joy, love, compassion and kindness, our heart is moved to smile and its effects are far reaching. Our smile can enable us to powerfully affect the world around us toward positive change. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” Smile- genuinely smile- and watch change happen. Watch the beauty that is within spill out into a world that so often accepts darkness as a cohabitant. Use your preventative medicine to inoculate the world around you from ill feelings. Infect others with your contagious smile. Today, may it your intent to deliberately infect the hearts of those around you with happiness and joy through the radiating sun beams of your soul, through your beautiful smile. 

Jolene is a motivational speaker with the National Speakers Association and the author of Thinking 101: Fundamentals of a Successful Mindset and It! Happens: A Practical Guide to Finding Your ‘It’.