Can a smiling face really be annoying? (Source: Thinkstock Images)
It is nice to see smiling faces around you. Studies say it spreads positivity. Smiling not only makes you likeable, it also sends feel-good signals to your brain, which is good for your overall mental health. So if somebody dislikes a smiling face, is that person not normal?
Not really.
In the following situations, smiling can be really annoying and even harmful.
1) In a meeting, as it distracts: When a bunch of professionals have gathered to discuss something important with a definite timeline, smiling too much can be perceived as taking the matter too lightly. It can also affect your credibility. A serious, contemplative face is more suited in such situation and smiling can wait till the meeting is over.
Smiling too much at workplace, when discussing important matters, can affect your credibility (Source: Thinkstock Images)
2) When the smile is not genuine: People don’t just smile to express happiness, but also to feel better about themselves when they are not feeling happy. This smile according to experts is perceived by others as artificial, and rightly so, because it is not coming out naturally and is forced. Studies also suggest that trying to force a smile might not be very useful in getting over negative emotions. Being friendly against one’s will causes stress.
3) When your loved one is going through a low phase: Smiling can be comforting if used in right doses. But if you smile too much to make your partner better, who is recovering from a loss or is depressed, the effort can backfire. Instead of feeling better, your partner might feel miserable and envy your happy state of mind. In such situations, try to display emotions in balance and most of all, do things that make your loved one smile.
4) When you are angry or nervous: Sometimes smiling is not in your control and might land you in an embarrassing situation. I know a person who grins when he’s really pissed off. Also, some people break into a smile, when they are in an unfamiliar territory or nervous. This kind of smile hardly evokes any warmth and can be really annoying. For instance, if one has to share a bad news and a smile inadvertently comes to the face, it is nothing to do with any positive feelings, it is in fact a nervous reaction.
5) When it is to please someone: Oversmiling while putting across your point can be perceived as an effort to please, and might not be appreciated. Try to convince with a logic and not with a smile.
Email author: parmita.uniyal@expressindia.com
Connect on Twitter: @parmitauniyal
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