Did You Know? Smiling Relieves Stress

Originally posted on Recruiter.com November 4, 2013.

Smiling Your Way to the Top

I won’t tell you that a simple smile will nab you a Bentley and ensure that you have good looking kids, but there are some actual, proven benefits to rocking a smile wherever you go. There is real science behind this age-old trick of the trade, called facial coding. Negative facial expressions, like frowning, and positive facial expressions, like smiling, have been found to alter moods.

The Duchenne Smile

The Duchenne smile is what you could call a “real” smile. When we are flashing a genuine smile, our facial muscles are involved all the way up to our eyes. This smile lasts longer, and actually produces a change in brain activity, resulting in a better mood. You might have recognized the name Duchenne as it relates to his work in the discovery of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Yeah, real science here people. Continue reading…

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.