My research brings me some satisfaction, of course, but the situation where it brings smile are rather rare. It is about difficulties in research and education in Serbia. But, I am an optimist! By the way, I do not like fake smiles! Do You @Miranda?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131004090614.htm

Do you notice if this is true for you, as you go about your work?  Please share genuine experiences, and provide links.  I need the links.

'Smiling activates the release of neuropeptides that work toward fighting off stress (3). Neuropeptides are tiny molecules that allow neurons to communicate. They facilitate messaging to the whole body when we are happy, sad, angry, depressed, excited. The feel good neurotransmitters dopamine, endorphins and serotonin are all released when a smile flashes across your face as well (4). This not only relaxes your body, but it can lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

The endorphins also act as a natural pain reliever - 100% organically and without the potential negative side effects of synthetic concoctions (4).

Finally, the serotonin release brought on by your smile serves as an anti-depressant/mood lifter (5). Many of today’s pharmaceutical anti-depressants also influence the levels of serotonin in your brain, but with a smile, you again don’t have to worry about negative side effects.'

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201206/there-s-magic-in-your-smile

My research brings me some satisfaction, of course, but the situation where it brings smile are rather rare. It is about difficulties in research and education in Serbia. But, I am an optimist! By the way, I do not like fake smiles! Do You @Miranda?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131004090614.htm

Dear Prof Ljubomir, I like real smiles and it's nice to have a good laugh with my friends and students.  Yesterday I brought my students to an agricultural exhibition.  It was nice to see real animals, but at this place the fake ones made us laugh.  See for yourself, and have a good laugh.

Smiling is a great way to make yourself stand out while helping your body to function better. Smile to improve your health and your stress level. Smiling is just one fun way to live longer.

Sure it does, dear Miranda, when I get to the desired effect/point!

Wow – what an interesting question!! Out of curiosity I did some research and came up with some pretty interesting information.

In the seminal literature, Briner (1999) discussed the economic value of smiling in the context of emotion management and how smiling relates to many service industries, and Lau (1982) linked smiling with perceptions of intelligence (in Guéguen & De Gail, 2003). However, although smiling has long been studied from a psycho-social anthropological perspective, Guéguen (2013) said that the effect of sunshine on non-verbal expression such as smiling has not been studied. In a study of the effect of weather (sunny or cloudy) on smiling, Guéguen found that people smiled more on sunny days and established a relationship between non-verbal expressions (in this case, smiling) and weather (in this case, sunny or cloudy).

I would hypothesize that researchers might be more productive during sunny weather than cloudy weather, regardless of whether or not it was cold or warm, in which case the chemical reactions that you described might be activated . Perhaps that hypothesis might be tested…

I am a very positive person my nature; so, since I thoroughly enjoyed my doctoral research, I am not sure if the research caused me to smile more, or if smiling caused me to enjoy my research more.

Dr. Ruth

Ref

Briner, R. (1999, 01). Feeling and smiling. Psychologist, 12, 16.

Guéguen, N. (2013). Weather and smiling contagion: A quasi experiment with the smiling sunshine. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 37(1), 51-55. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10919-012-0140-y

Combining seriousness with unfaked smiles has worked well through my long academic life. Surely, no one likes to see many angry grim faces moving around in any institution. At the same time, the campus ought not be a circus of continuous comedies. Moderation is a good recipe for a healthy refreshing atmosphere. 

Smiles can bring smiles. A smile can wipes off boredom and tiredness and serves to refresh oneself.

Thanks for your posts, dear friends.  It's brave to answer this question.  It's not easy to formulate this question either although it's been on my mind for some time.  I want to add one more part to this question, have any of the great prophets been known to smile or laugh?  From mobile.

Dear Ruth, you have given a meaningful answer, thanks.  I agree to this: 'Guéguen (2013) said that the effect of sunshine on non-verbal expression such as smiling has not been studied. In a study of the effect of weather (sunny or cloudy) on smiling, Guéguen found that people smiled more on sunny days and established a relationship between non-verbal expressions (in this case, smiling) and weather (in this case, sunny or cloudy).'

Dear Dr Nizar, I thank you for a wise answer: 'Surely, no one likes to see many angry grim faces moving around in any institution. At the same time, the campus ought not be a circus of continuous comedies. Moderation is a good recipe for a healthy refreshing atmosphere.'

Thanks dear Barbara.  This is interesting to me: 'Persons whose prefrontal cortex is very active and easier to understand jokes, they make them more fun. Wiseman also found that damage to the prefrontal cortex impairs the ability to understand jokes.'

Dear @Ouyang, your answer reminds me: 'We smile at some, they smile at us, smiles are multiplied! :)

Thanks Prof Kamal.  I will remember your answer, and it will encourage me, because here I have certain things to do that take up such a lot of time and energy!  Even though you are a great President, it's not a trouble for you to encourage me.  A thousand smiles to all my dear friends.  You know who you are :)

Dear Miranda,

Smiling slows the heart, reduces stress and anxiety, relaxes the body, strengthens our immune system, encourage trust and surly increase attention. So we should always keep smiling...

Dear Mohammad and friends, when you have useful related links, please post them on this thread.  I will be more active when my papers are done.  Thanks.

Dear @Miranda and friends,  did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Link follows, just listen!  :)

https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling?language=en

Thanks Prof Ljubomir, a good link.  I did ask for good links because to me that's more helpful.  Thanks again, sorry for late response.  [You know that I'm just so busy and overworked.]

As far as I know that smile is still free..

Thanks to all of you.  Dear @Mohammad, smiles that are free are likely to be sincere and not faked :)

Dear Prof Kamal, this question is inspired by my friends facing this cold early winter, and by your question on serotonin / endorphins on our moods.  Thanks.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_effect_of_mood_swinging_on_research_productivity?_tpcectx=profile_questions

Friends, are you waiting for warmer days and clear skies? In the meantime, even though it's physically cold, are we generating psychological warmth?

Spring is supposed to begin in China on 19th Feb this year. (Chinese New Year roughly coincides with this date.)  How about your place?

http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/special-report/chinese-new-year/

Simile is essential at workplace, it bonds people and facilitates Knowledge and skill transactions with desired behavior.

If human smiling is a behavioral homologue of chimpanzee bared-teeth displays, one would expect smiling to occur most in face-to -face interaction , especially where friendly intent is problematic or where social bonds are being established or renewed. The smiler's motivation may be genuine friendliness or an intent to establish friendly relations .

http://kraut.hciresearch.org/sites/kraut.hciresearch.org/files/articles/kraut79-Social%26EmotionalMessagesOfSmiling.pdf

Smile is better than a frowning face, but it is not a panacea!

I mean, in order to be able to smile you have to be able:

• to feed yourself and your family, if there exists 
• to pay your electricity and other bills
• to pay the rental or your mortgage loan

If you are not able to perform the above dcaily tasks, then, smiling is almost meaningless!

Why in horoscope type calenders (Chinese or other related to birth conditions) people represent animals of which we assume they don't smile?

No one will lose any penny upon smiling in face-to-face look on his/her  human brother/sister. If it is a genuine smile, coming from the depth of the heart, it can help a lot in research & teaching. Saying that, I do not like hilarious laughter since it may lead to death & I am not joking about this!

All my previous colleagues have mentioned all valuable points. Hence, there is nothing more for me to say on this matter dear Miranda, though I can add a few note on this regard:

Smiling keeps one healthy and keeps the doctor away!!!

Smiling always

stubbornly

Optimism serves

 It is that extra boost

  .

If the face is lit

Sometimes it is important 

The world surrenders

If you smile

  .

Down with melancholy

The tears of nostalgia

Pessimists chronic

And who does not love more

  .

Life changes

If anyone changes

Pulls out the grit

Breath in you

Reply to those problems

With the serenity

The power of a smile

Your secret

is here

  .

More impetus to the wishes

For true feelings

Upgrade to where arrivals

But do not stop there

Spare a tear

For happiness

  .

Smiling always

bravely

You have to have faith

Patience and irony

Rush men

They get angry and desperate

But if the light meet

Who can stop it?

Life is so much

It scares you

Life which will win

If you sample it

Renato Zero (Italian singer)

https://scienzanewthought.wordpress.com/category/terapia-del-sorriso/

Dear Miranda,

To believe I might have found a nice chain of ideas expressed in clear way can indicate some satisfaction. To smile is another thing. When meeting and discussing with colleagues often causes welcoming smiles.

Dear Marcel,

For me, neither horoscopes nor calendars matter but I have seen many smiling animals (cats, dogs, horses). Maybe I have only thought it...

Dear András,

you haven´t.

Thanks for your posts.  @Umachandran is right that a smile helps to facilitate transactions among humans.  Demetris has placed the conditions for a meaningful smile.  Marcel has asked a typical 'Marcel Question'.  I am not sure that animals smile at all.  But here is some info for Marcel and all about the Chinese Zodiac.  I think it's because China has a great biodiversity.

'Similar to the ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches, animals in Chinese zodiac were also created for counting years as the system that is now universally accepted based on the Christian calendar was as yet non-existent. The selection and order of the animals that influence people's lives very much was originated in the Han Dynasty (202BC – 220AD) and based upon each animal's character and living habits.' (I don't believe in any zodiac at all.  I wish you a happy spring.)

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/

Thanks dear Dr Nizar.  I'm not sure if hilarious laughing will lead to death.  But I consider that it's never recorded that the great religious teachers ever laughed.  (It's not recorded if Jesus even smiled or laughed, but it's recorded that Jesus WEPT.)  For any happiness and joys in this transient earthly life, I shall be grateful.

Dear Shankhadeep, as soon as you think that the answers have all been placed, Brenda comes along with more answers and links.  Dear Brenda, we found one similar link - 'There's magic in your smile'.

(Sorry friends, I was busy with duties for our Quality day.  The theme was ARABIAN NIGHTS, BOLLYWOOD DREAMS.  Prof Kamal, Ljubomir, Enzo and all, see our Malaysian men disguised as Arabs and Bollywood folks.)

Thanks dear @Enzo, what a poem. a song. Creative writing brings physical and emotional benefits for the author and readers/ listeners.  Let's wait, when we retire we shall have many benefits!

Thanks dear @Andras, your point is closely related to Umachandran's.  Thanks to all.  I will be happy if this question brings a smile to you.

Dear Miranda, Dear Nizar

As far as I know, prophets are humans after all. Prophet Mohammed has even encouraged one smiling at fellow human, and considered this act as charity, kindness, or love. He apparently, like other great religious  teachers understood the positive psychological effects of smiles on peoples' life and relationships.

Thanks dear Mohamed.  My friends didn't tell me that.  But when you mentioned Prophet Muhammad, I checked it out and found:

'Prophet Muhammad smiled, often and with real joy. In fact he smiled so regularly that his smile and kind demeanour are mentioned time and time again in anecdotes and stories from his traditions.

Abdullaah ibn Haarith said, “I never came across a person who smiled as much as Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad regarded smiling to a brother as an act of charity.”'

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/10374/

Smile! It innervates others. Smile is a defensive reaction of a human being. I recommend my students in the situation of stress to look at the mirror and smile.It's a famous outcome out of the stress, when it's worked out relaxing harmonious hormones.Smiling is my credo.To my favorite Bradbury and later Markes, "Smile! Don't give pleasure to misfortune". To J.Martin, "Smile, while you are living.It is not given to the dead" "Dandelion wine"

Dear Irina, indeed smiling is your credo, removes all the stress!

Dear Miranda,

A smile makes an ugly day in sunny!

Attracts positive energy and people wanting to talk and help! So it is extremely beneficial to the research!

Best wishes,

Vanessa

Wonderful dear Vanessa. I see your big bright smile.  Let's not forget that we used to smile like these people.  Smiling helped them to grow; should help our research impact to increase day by day.

Yes, smile is very powerful tool...!

http://www.quotesonimages.com/date/2013/page/1084/

"Jesus wept; Voltaire smiled. From that divine tear and from that human smile is derived the grace of present civilization."

Victor Hugo

Thanks dear friend for your posts.  Today I have a holiday in conjunction with Chinese New Year.  But although we have several public hols, I don't have summer hols like you. The number of working days is 315 minus weekends.  But still, I should smile because it helps me to be productive.

Nowadays is the happiest month in IRAN. Happy Nowruz to our friends, researchers from Iran like @Pardis, @Raoof ...and many others!

http://www.wazala.org/2013-03-iran-the-happiest-month/

http://www.happyugadi2015.com/