Creating the world-famous yellow smiley face in 1963, artist Harvey Ball was worried that it would lose its meaning over time.
Setting up World Smile Day, his hope was that everyone would dedicate one day per year to acts of kindness and making others smile, which just happens to be the 2024 theme.
Did you know that smiling increases mood-enhancing hormones while decreasing stress-enhancing hormones, including cortisol, and adrenaline?
It also reduces overall blood pressure.
And, because you typically smile when you’re happy, the muscles used trigger your brain to produce more endorphins—the chemical that relieves pain and stress.
How will you be kind and make someone smile today?