Smiling as a Longevity Factor, Lecture 1, 14.09.2026
At the end of today's session, we watched a video by Sia about consciously smiling more. At first glance that sounds almost too simple – but it reminded me how powerful something as small as a smile actually is.
What really made me think: smiling isn't just an expression of happiness, it can work the other way around too – it can create happiness. Studies show that smiling lowers stress hormones and can positively affect overall health and even longevity.
I notice this especially here in Barcelona: in everyday situations – at the bakery, on the bus, meeting new people from the exchange program – I smile much more automatically than back home, simply because the atmosphere here feels more open. And I can tell it gives something back: people respond more warmly, situations feel lighter.
My takeaway: it's a small, free lever with a big effect – and exactly these kinds of small habits are usually the first thing to slip when student life gets stressful.
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