The way in which a person smiles really makes a difference.  How one smiles can show the true intention of the person smiling.  An individual can have a genuine grin or it can belie another motive. What I consider a true smile could be imitated by another person and used as a prop to deceive others.

Inasmuch as the person  who is smiling has intention, so are the many kinds of smiles.  When I smile, it tends to be in that moment. I just feel it, and it happens.  Many people, probably most people, smile as a natural part of their own unique self.  Some choose to be stingy about them as if they are numbered. Some, like me, just find it happening without thinking, because it is personality- driven.  I was raised by people who smiled (and laughed) easily. For some of us though, it can be difficult, if it was not modeled while growing up.

Regardless of how they are communicated, with what frequency, and what words might be attached to them, the curvature of our lips can communicate a myriad of emotions.  I did a little research, and now I can say that there are many, many, articles that reference amounts of the different kinds, ranging from 5 to 18 (some having pictures).  Other articles included hidden messages in them, their anatomy, good reasons to employ them, and 209 quotes about them. I didn’t know that there were 7 specific, good reasons to smile and that there are reasons to love your own.

In addition, according to one posting, there are 50,000 ways to write about a smile.  One article’s title is “Why Russians Don’t Smile.” Another is entitled, “Russian Smiles in 10 different situations.”  Obviously, these authors have never communicated with each other, with or without such an expression on their faces.

There are 3 ways to spot genuine and fake ones.  And then there are oodles of emojis. With teeth showing or not, when babies smile and it’s untapped power are 3 more topics that are explored.  But, I found it humorous to see the question, “Why do men tell women to smile?” and then an essay that was about the smiles that attract women. I’d like to see the authors of those 2 posts meet each other and talk about them.  

All the aforementioned sources were in the first 13 pages of my Google search.  I had to stop looking for more differences. Suffice it to say, that how a person smiles indeed makes a difference and that it communicates as much as words do.  In my opinion, it wouldn’t hurt to check in with the people who know you best and ask them what they think of your lip-curved expressions.  You may find out a few things about yourself and how you come across to others. And that’s not a bad idea. (Smile.)