Here I was in high school, minding my own business, dealing with life “stuff” as best as I could, heading to my typing class, when I spotted my track coach and Ms. Childress talking in the hallway outside of our classroom. They greeted me and commented how good of a student I was, but that I had an “attitude”. I did not have an attitude (in my opinion) going into class, but after that comment I DEFINITELY had an attitude. The younger version of Betty did not care about the opinions of my teachers back then, just my grades. What I did not understand then, but what I understand now is that “smiling” affects how you feel and how people respond to you. Smiling has an undeniable power to communicate joy and peace. As a child and teenager growing up in Miami, smiling was not my default look. If there is no funny joke being told, then laughing or smiling was an unnecessary effort

When family feuds are in season, no one feels like smiling. When the bills are due and your money is looking funny, no one feels like smiling. When “John” breaks his arm at school and your baby daddy is behind on his child support payments, no one feels like smiling. When your parents are yelling and screaming throughout the night over the text messages and inappropriate pictures daddy’s friend from work sent him, no one feels like smiling. Smiling becomes hard and feels unnatural.

So on behalf of the frustrated, tired, weary souls out there, I’ll say what you are thinking, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” However, as a matured adult, mother, wife, and business owner, I’ve learned that a smile has the power to change hearts, attitudes, minds, and positions. Here are (7) seven things you should know about smiling and the impact it has on your life and community.

Smiling when you first wake up in the morning sets the right tone for your day. Smiling lets your brain know that you are in control of your emotions and not the behaviors of your spouse or children.
Smiling lets your children know that you are happy to see them and are blessed to have them in your life. Your children need to know they are loved and valued. A smile is a simple way to communicate that.
Smiling lets your baby momma or baby daddy know that your life did not fall apart after they left. Your joy and happiness is not a result of your relationship with them, but comes from your relationship with God.
Smiling speaks to your fears about tomorrow and replaces them with hope for your future. When you smile, you are making a decision to let go of what you cannot control and make the best of your present.
Smiling sends a message to everyone you encounter that you are blessed and are existed to be among the living.
Smiling brightens up a room. There is a light shining out of you that draws others to you and adds light in darkness.
Smiling is a gift to yourself, because your ‘teeth out’ is beautiful.

Your ability to smile is weakened when husbands or wives leave. Smiles are threatened when daddies are absent from the home and walk out of the lives of their children. Broken homes and relationships bring tears and frowns and smiles are nowhere to be found. Whether you find yourself raising a child on your own without any financial or social support from the other parent, or whether your spouse abandoned you after 20 years of marriage, the greatest tragedy is to allow that former relationship or event(s) in your life steal your smile. So today, I encourage and implore you to just stop…breath…and SMILE!

If you need legal guidance and advice with working through life “stuff” with your estranged spouse or the parent of your child(ren) we are here to help you. We will provide you service with a smile and lots of encouragement along the way.