Make Someone Smile
Making someone smile is always a reward in itself, whether you're making your down-in-the-dumps friend or a tired cashier show their pearly whites. You can make someone smile in a million different ways, from being generous to just doing something plain silly. If you're looking for ideas on how to make someone smile and brighten his or her day, then you've come to the right place. See Step 1 to get going.
Steps
- Tickle the person. This may seem just plain silly, but it is almost a guaranteed way to get them to smile! Good places to tickle them are the under arms, the leg joint, and the neck. Of course, if that person is in a super grumpy mood, then tickling may not always work. But hey, if tickling is getting the reaction you wanted, you may even end up in a tickle fight! Soon you'll both be not just smiling, but cracking up.
- Tell a joke. It doesn't matter how stupid, silly, or corny the joke is. Just the effort of making the joke will make the other person smile, even if he or she knows the joke isn't funny. You can even text the person the joke or leave it on his or her answering machine. Here's a knock-knock joke you can try:
- You: "Knock knock."
- Your friend: "Who's there?"
- You: "Britney Spears."
- Your friend: "Britney Spears--"
- You: "Knock knock."
- Your friend: "Who's there?"
- You: "Oops! I did it again."
- Do the person's favorite thing with him or her. Ask the person what he or she would most like to do in the world, whether it's going to aMovies, throwing a frisbee, or going sledding. Taking the time to do this thing with the person will definitely make him or her smile. And even if the thing the person really wants to do is completely impossible, just talking about it will make him or her smile.
- Show them something funny. Showing the person fails on the internet or something stupid people have done, are great ways to see them explode in laughter. Show them adorable photos of kittens , two 100-year-old BFFs discussing Justin Bieber or a boy dressed up as a zombie for Halloween who loves turtles.
- Smile. Smiling at a person is guaranteed to make him or her feel better, and in most cases, to get him or her to smile in return! Even if the person is only smiling to be polite, smiling on the outside will make that person feel better on the inside.
- Give a small gift. Give the person a book you love, a ticket to a movie, a cute bracelet, a photo of a kitten, a ridiculous scarf, or anything that you know the person will love, even if only because it's so completely unexpected or silly. You should wrap it up and present it in a cute way, whether you leave it at that person's doorstep, in his or her locker, or bring it to dinner.
- Listen. Sometimes, all a person really needs is for someone to listen to him or her. So, take the time to listen, whether it's to hear your best friend talk about her break-up, or to listen to your neighbor complain about the cold she had last week. Even a little bit of listening can go a long way and the person will be smiling because of your thoughtfulness in no time.
- Be affectionate. If you know the person well, then put an arm around the person, tussle his or her hair, give a kiss on the cheek, or squeeze his or her elbow. Sometimes all a person needs is to be touched and to be made to feel like he or she is important, and just a little bit of affection can go a long way in that regard. Make sure the person is comfortable with it, of course!
- Give the person a hug. Almost anyone will smile after a hug -- as long as you have hugged that person before! Don't underestimate the power of this small gesture. You can even give that kind of "I'm going to hug and squeeze you until you cry uncle!" hug if you're hugging one of your best friends, who really needs to smile.
- Bring the person a cup of tea or coffee. If you're in the same house, brew a fresh cup, and if you're out, bring in a nice, cafe-made beverage and see how much it makes that person smile. Coffee and tea are known to make people feel more calm and relaxed, and these states will make it much easier for the person to smile. Also, anyone likes the nice gesture of bringing a soothing beverage.
- Make breakfast in bed. Make the person's favorite breakfast and serve it to him or her in bed. You should see a huge smile before you even set the tray down! Just make sure not to pick a day when the person will be feeling rushed and hectic.
- Share an old photo with the person. If you and said sad person have a shared history, then chances are that you have a lot of old photos floating around. Dig up the funniest, silliest, or just the most ridiculous photo and share it with that person when he or she least expects it. There's no way that person won't smile after seeing a decade-old photo of the two of you dressed up as zebras for Halloween or playing in the snow as little kids!
- Share a memory. Better than sharing a photo, share an old memory with that person that will be guaranteed to bring a smile to his or her face. If you have a shared history, it should be easy to think of something in the not-super-distant past that will make the person smile, especially if it's something the two of you haven't talked about in years, from the funny lady who used to live down the street to the time you two got lost at the waterpark.
- Bring the person hand-picked flowers. Go out into a grassy field, gather a handful of flowers, wrap them up in cute paper, and present them to the person. This is so rarely done anymore that the person will be guaranteed to smile. Just make sure you're not picking flowers from a neighbor's lawn!
- Pick up a basket of fresh produce from the farmer's market. Maybe your friend is too busy to go to the market herself but she loves to cook or to explore new dishes. Get her a basket of tasty fruits and veggies and even a piece of paper with a suggested recipe or two. You guys can cook together, or you can leave your friend to enjoy his or her bag of goodies!
- Go on a picnic. Take your friend to a park and carry a nondescript grocery bag, saying that you picked up some stuff for your mom. When you reach your destination, take out a blanket and a few of your friend's favorite foods or snacks, from potato salad to cheese and crackers. Enjoy eating a fresh meal while getting some fresh air. When was the last time you had a picnic? Think about it: how could this not make someone smile?
- Thank them. Whether you're thanking your friend for being there for you during a really hard time or thanking a waitress, cashier, or neighbor for doing something for you, this is guaranteed to make the person smile. You can even add that it meant a lot to you or that you really appreciate it, showing that person how much you care. If you have the time, you can even write the person a thank you card! That will definitely make that person smile.
- Write a letter. How many people have time to write letters anymore? That's exactly why you should do it! Though a text, call, or Facebook post can make a person smile, there's something special about putting in the effort of hand-writing a letter that lets your friend know how much he or she means to you. You can start just by mentioning some things that are on your mind and then make your way to writing some of that person's best qualities. Bonus points if you actually mail the thing!
- Give a compliment. Don't give the person a compliment just for the sake of making him or her smile. Really think about it. Make an effort to come up with something you'd like to compliment, whether it's an aspect of that person's personality or the unique color of his or her hair. Or if you want to cheat, you can say, "I love your smile!" -- it's almost guaranteed to make that person smile.
- Change the person's screensaver. If the person steps away from his or her computer, take a minute to change his or her screen saver to something that will make him smile, whether it's a picture of horses galloping in a field or an old photo from that person's trip to Mexico. Stick around until the person gets back to the computer to see a big smile spread on his or her face.
- Bake something. Bring over some chocolate-chip cookies, angel food cake, banana bread, or any dessert or delicacy that you know the person will like. Whether you're bringing it to that person's house or bringing it to that person's workplace, this is guaranteed to bring a smile to his or her face. And if you can't see the person, consider mailing those cookies!
- Be courteous. A little courtesy can go a long way. Hold the door for a person, let a stranger get in front of you in line, or offer a friend your coat if he or she is cold. There is far too much cruelty in this world these days, and taking a minute to actually be courteous will make a big difference in someone's life! You'll be surprised by how much just a bit of kindness can improve a person's day.
- Make Silly Faces Make that monkey face that drives the little kids crazy. Stick out your tongue. Cross your eyes. Look like you smell something horrible. Make your eyes bulge. Do something completely ridiculous and it's bound to get a positive reaction. If you do this from across the room, the person is even more likely to smile!
- Do the person a favor. Everyone needs a favor from time to time, even if that person is afraid to ask for it. Whether your friend needs you to go grocery shopping for him, give him a ride, or help him figure out his homework, doing a favor for a person is almost guaranteed to bring a smile to his face. Even better if you can do the favor secretly, without the person knowing what you're doing. Imagine the smile on the person's face when you say, "I already folded all of your laundry!"
- Let the person know how much he or she means to you. We don't do this nearly enough. Take the time to tell the person that he or she is a great friend, an amazing person, and that he or she has so much going for him or her. Make it meaningful and genuine. Whether you write a note, give a little speech, or just naturally bring up your honest feelings in the middle of the conversation, letting that person know how much he or she has done for you will bring a big, huge smile to his or her face in no time.
Sources and Citations
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-natelli-mclaughlin/five-ways-to-make-someone-smile_b_3429225.html
- http://nedhardy.com/2011/07/12/101-ways-to-make-people-smile/
- http://tinybuddha.com/blog/51-things-that-will-make-you-smile/
- http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/ways-to-make-someone-smile/
