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A Smile Can Change a Moment | Courtney Fong | TEDxNorthbrookLibrary


I didn’t think a smile was that

I didn’t think a smile was that important until I found out that our son

important until I found out that our son

important until I found out that our son couldn’t smile you see when you look at

couldn’t smile you see when you look at

couldn’t smile you see when you look at his picture the first thing you might

his picture the first thing you might

his picture the first thing you might notice is that he doesn’t have any ears

notice is that he doesn’t have any ears

notice is that he doesn’t have any ears that’s what we first noticed when we

that’s what we first noticed when we

that’s what we first noticed when we adopted him it it wasn’t until later

adopted him it it wasn’t until later

adopted him it it wasn’t until later that we found out that the expression

that we found out that the expression

that we found out that the expression that all of us took for granted was

that all of us took for granted was

that all of us took for granted was unavailable to him you see a smile is

unavailable to him you see a smile is

unavailable to him you see a smile is not just the preferred expression for

not just the preferred expression for

not just the preferred expression for your holiday card or something you do

your holiday card or something you do

your holiday card or something you do when someone says say cheese

when someone says say cheese

when someone says say cheese no a smile that’s unexpected

no a smile that’s unexpected

no a smile that’s unexpected when embraced by the beholder can change

when embraced by the beholder can change

when embraced by the beholder can change things instantly and I dare you to think

things instantly and I dare you to think

things instantly and I dare you to think that a smile can change a moment we can

that a smile can change a moment we can

that a smile can change a moment we can look at our own popular culture to see

look at our own popular culture to see

look at our own popular culture to see how smiles have changed moments and the

how smiles have changed moments and the

how smiles have changed moments and the 80s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

80s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

80s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Ferris uses his signature smile to

Ferris uses his signature smile to

Ferris uses his signature smile to convince a reluctant Cameron to borrow

convince a reluctant Cameron to borrow

convince a reluctant Cameron to borrow his dad’s Ferrari further epic day off

his dad’s Ferrari further epic day off

his dad’s Ferrari further epic day off now there’s no day off without Ferris a

now there’s no day off without Ferris a

now there’s no day off without Ferris a smile convincing Cameron that everything

smile convincing Cameron that everything

smile convincing Cameron that everything would be okay or in The Sound of Music

would be okay or in The Sound of Music

would be okay or in The Sound of Music the Von Trapp children they surround

the Von Trapp children they surround

the Von Trapp children they surround their new governess during a frightening

their new governess during a frightening

their new governess during a frightening thunderstorm before Maria can even start

thunderstorm before Maria can even start

thunderstorm before Maria can even start talking about whiskers on kittens and

talking about whiskers on kittens and

talking about whiskers on kittens and her other favorite things she comforts

her other favorite things she comforts

her other favorite things she comforts them with a disarming smile or go back

them with a disarming smile or go back

them with a disarming smile or go back further in pop culture and try to find

further in pop culture and try to find

further in pop culture and try to find an adult who was not smitten by Shirley

an adult who was not smitten by Shirley

an adult who was not smitten by Shirley temple’s iconic smile now the smiling

temple’s iconic smile now the smiling

temple’s iconic smile now the smiling portraits gained popularity in 7th 18th

portraits gained popularity in 7th 18th

portraits gained popularity in 7th 18th century of Paris basically as a way to

century of Paris basically as a way to

century of Paris basically as a way to showcase advances in dentistry

showcase advances in dentistry

showcase advances in dentistry when this self-portrait was first

when this self-portrait was first

when this self-portrait was first displayed though one contemporary review

displayed though one contemporary review

displayed though one contemporary review wrote that artists art lovers and

wrote that artists art lovers and

wrote that artists art lovers and persons of taste they were all united in

persons of taste they were all united in

persons of taste they were all united in condemning this smile he said that there

condemning this smile he said that there

condemning this smile he said that there was no precedent for this throughout

was no precedent for this throughout

was no precedent for this throughout history

history

history in more recent history we can look at a

in more recent history we can look at a

in more recent history we can look at a study done by the University of

study done by the University of

study done by the University of California Berkeley and Brown University

California Berkeley and Brown University

California Berkeley and Brown University they studied yearbook portraits over

they studied yearbook portraits over

they studied yearbook portraits over time and they measured the geometric

time and they measured the geometric

time and they measured the geometric shapes of the grin and found that

shapes of the grin and found that

shapes of the grin and found that beginning in the 1940s the grin became

beginning in the 1940s the grin became

beginning in the 1940s the grin became wider with more teeth showing students

wider with more teeth showing students

wider with more teeth showing students became more comfortable sharing their

became more comfortable sharing their

became more comfortable sharing their smiles not only in person but for years

smiles not only in person but for years

smiles not only in person but for years to come

to come

to come in these yearbook pictures this was

in these yearbook pictures this was

in these yearbook pictures this was their way to showcase their smile and to

their way to showcase their smile and to

their way to showcase their smile and to change a moment every time a classmate

change a moment every time a classmate

change a moment every time a classmate looked back at their common past now the

looked back at their common past now the

looked back at their common past now the smile was also very important during the

smile was also very important during the

smile was also very important during the difficult times of the 1960s as a way to

difficult times of the 1960s as a way to

difficult times of the 1960s as a way to encourage more people in his company to

encourage more people in his company to

encourage more people in his company to smile more a man named Harvey ball he

smile more a man named Harvey ball he

smile more a man named Harvey ball he created the smiley now this most

created the smiley now this most

created the smiley now this most recognizable image first appeared in

recognizable image first appeared in

recognizable image first appeared in 1963 first you saw it on buttons and

1963 first you saw it on buttons and

1963 first you saw it on buttons and basically anything it could be printed

basically anything it could be printed

basically anything it could be printed on Harvey ball said this about the

on Harvey ball said this about the

on Harvey ball said this about the smiley he said that it’s understood by

smiley he said that it’s understood by

smiley he said that it’s understood by everybody

everybody

everybody it doesn’t matter race religion

it doesn’t matter race religion

it doesn’t matter race religion political affiliation they mean nothing

political affiliation they mean nothing

political affiliation they mean nothing so the smile went from being a way to

so the smile went from being a way to

so the smile went from being a way to show off your your dentist work and the

show off your your dentist work and the

show off your your dentist work and the fact that you could afford such

fact that you could afford such

fact that you could afford such dentistry right to the preferred

dentistry right to the preferred

dentistry right to the preferred expression in photographs to a symbol of

expression in photographs to a symbol of

expression in photographs to a symbol of perseverance through difficult times and

perseverance through difficult times and

perseverance through difficult times and culturally the smile is one of the most

culturally the smile is one of the most

culturally the smile is one of the most recognizable expressions around the

recognizable expressions around the

recognizable expressions around the world in her 2015 book smiles from

world in her 2015 book smiles from

world in her 2015 book smiles from around the world author and photographer

around the world author and photographer

around the world author and photographer ingrid Marne examined smiles from her

ingrid Marne examined smiles from her

ingrid Marne examined smiles from her native Sweden to South Africa from

native Sweden to South Africa from

native Sweden to South Africa from Mexico to Malaysia from Peru to Portugal

Mexico to Malaysia from Peru to Portugal

Mexico to Malaysia from Peru to Portugal all places she’s lived and visited she

all places she’s lived and visited she

all places she’s lived and visited she really has seen it all she recalled that

really has seen it all she recalled that

really has seen it all she recalled that regardless of where she went from the

regardless of where she went from the

regardless of where she went from the Syrian hairdresser to the Chilean

Syrian hairdresser to the Chilean

Syrian hairdresser to the Chilean restaurant owner she was always greeted

restaurant owner she was always greeted

restaurant owner she was always greeted with a smile now many cultures use the

with a smile now many cultures use the

with a smile now many cultures use the smile as a way to into

smile as a way to into

smile as a way to into gate friendliness now a smile can affect

gate friendliness now a smile can affect

gate friendliness now a smile can affect how others feel about you but it can

how others feel about you but it can

how others feel about you but it can also affect how you feel about yourself

also affect how you feel about yourself

also affect how you feel about yourself so what exactly is a smile now

so what exactly is a smile now

so what exactly is a smile now neurologist gam deschain identified two

neurologist gam deschain identified two

neurologist gam deschain identified two key types of smiles while conducting

key types of smiles while conducting

key types of smiles while conducting research in 19th century France the

research in 19th century France the

research in 19th century France the first type of smile is that is what we

first type of smile is that is what we

first type of smile is that is what we call the social smile it activates the

call the social smile it activates the

call the social smile it activates the zygomatic major muscle now that just

zygomatic major muscle now that just

zygomatic major muscle now that just raises the corners of your mouth the

raises the corners of your mouth the

raises the corners of your mouth the second type of smile now known as the

second type of smile now known as the

second type of smile now known as the Duchenne smile activates the orbicularis

Duchenne smile activates the orbicularis

Duchenne smile activates the orbicularis oculi muscle now that raises your cheeks

oculi muscle now that raises your cheeks

oculi muscle now that raises your cheeks and it crinkles your eyes now that

and it crinkles your eyes now that

and it crinkles your eyes now that second smile is a lot harder to fake

second smile is a lot harder to fake

second smile is a lot harder to fake leading many people to believe that as a

leading many people to believe that as a

leading many people to believe that as a more genuine smile but the good news is

more genuine smile but the good news is

more genuine smile but the good news is that both smiles release endorphins and

that both smiles release endorphins and

that both smiles release endorphins and serotonin our body’s natural feel-good

serotonin our body’s natural feel-good

serotonin our body’s natural feel-good and antidepressant chemicals and

and antidepressant chemicals and

and antidepressant chemicals and sometimes a smile does not even need to

sometimes a smile does not even need to

sometimes a smile does not even need to be seen to change a moment i go back to

be seen to change a moment i go back to

be seen to change a moment i go back to author and photographer ingrid martin

author and photographer ingrid martin

author and photographer ingrid martin she told me a story about a girl on a

she told me a story about a girl on a

she told me a story about a girl on a public bus in oman she smiled at the

public bus in oman she smiled at the

public bus in oman she smiled at the girl and the girl smiled back

girl and the girl smiled back

girl and the girl smiled back but ingrid couldn’t see her mouth

but ingrid couldn’t see her mouth

but ingrid couldn’t see her mouth because she was wearing a niqab but she

because she was wearing a niqab but she

because she was wearing a niqab but she could see the smile in her eyes the two

could see the smile in her eyes the two

could see the smile in her eyes the two chatted the entire bus ride and when it

chatted the entire bus ride and when it

chatted the entire bus ride and when it was time to say goodbye the girl said to

was time to say goodbye the girl said to

was time to say goodbye the girl said to Ingrid thank you for the smile for those

Ingrid thank you for the smile for those

Ingrid thank you for the smile for those two women a smile changed a moment I

two women a smile changed a moment I

two women a smile changed a moment I want to circle back to my son’s

want to circle back to my son’s

want to circle back to my son’s condition he was born with facial

condition he was born with facial

condition he was born with facial paralysis in his right side and he was

paralysis in his right side and he was

paralysis in his right side and he was unable to smile well just after his

unable to smile well just after his

unable to smile well just after his second birthday we were given the

second birthday we were given the

second birthday we were given the opportunity for him to have facial

opportunity for him to have facial

opportunity for him to have facial reanimation surgery what that is is they

reanimation surgery what that is is they

reanimation surgery what that is is they take some working muscle from your leg

take some working muscle from your leg

take some working muscle from your leg they place it inside of your cheek they

they place it inside of your cheek they

they place it inside of your cheek they attach it to the remaining working

attach it to the remaining working

attach it to the remaining working nerves in your face it was a long

nerves in your face it was a long

nerves in your face it was a long recovery but now he can smile

personally I’ve never appreciated a

personally I’ve never appreciated a smile more than when I found out that my

smile more than when I found out that my

smile more than when I found out that my son couldn’t smile but now that he has

son couldn’t smile but now that he has

son couldn’t smile but now that he has the opportunity to smile I encouraged

the opportunity to smile I encouraged

the opportunity to smile I encouraged him to use that tool every day I

him to use that tool every day I

him to use that tool every day I encourage you to use that tool every day

encourage you to use that tool every day

encourage you to use that tool every day a smile it’s a choice and it’s a gift if

a smile it’s a choice and it’s a gift if

a smile it’s a choice and it’s a gift if you give the gift of a smile to someone

you give the gift of a smile to someone

you give the gift of a smile to someone they may return the gift if you smile

they may return the gift if you smile

they may return the gift if you smile you may strike up a conversation with a

you may strike up a conversation with a

you may strike up a conversation with a stranger on a bus if you smile you may

stranger on a bus if you smile you may

stranger on a bus if you smile you may change the course of someone’s day when

change the course of someone’s day when

change the course of someone’s day when you smile you acknowledge their worth

you smile you acknowledge their worth

you smile you acknowledge their worth with your gift and the future

with your gift and the future

with your gift and the future possibilities of human interaction are

possibilities of human interaction are

possibilities of human interaction are endless so I challenge you embrace the

endless so I challenge you embrace the

endless so I challenge you embrace the unexpected give the gift of a smile to

unexpected give the gift of a smile to

unexpected give the gift of a smile to someone because a smile can change a

someone because a smile can change a

someone because a smile can change a moment thank you

moment thank you

moment thank you [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

”

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