Remember that post I did called Smiling More Often Can Improve Your Life? Well I purposefully developed a habit of having a slight smile on my face instead of my regular neutral face. I did this because in the past people have looked at me and thought I was mad or sad about something when it was just my neutral face. I like the way I looked with the slight smile and I looked like a happy person. I developed such a habit that my face felt strange when I wasn't doing it and I would automatically correct myself.
Unfortunately, many things come with a cost. Today I noticed I was starting to get a laugh line! Normally, like most people, there are creases that run from my nose to the corners of my mouth when I smile, but they are not there when my face is neutral. Older people have these creases all the time, and even a lot of young White people have them because they tend to wrinkle early. That is why dark skinned individuals may look younger longer; the creases do not become permanent until we are much older. I read all those articles about the benefits of smiling but not one of them mentioned it gives you laugh lines!!!! So, I think I'll keep the light smile only when I know people can see me and I'll rest my face the rest of the time. I hope it goes away because I love that people thing I'm way younger than I look. I guess if you make a face long enough it really will get stuck that way!
