The secret in a smile

By Merill Haseen

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A SMILE can be the key to your future happiness, according to a new US study.

Researchers studied photographs of 21-year-old women and were able to predict their success in life for the next 30 years.

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The intensity of the women's smiles was related to personality tests, then psychologists ranked the women by how they expressed positive emotions, such as joy and happiness.

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It was found that those who showed more intense happiness at 21 became more mentally focused, had more successful marriages and enjoyed greater personal wellbeing up to 30 years later. The findings held true regardless of how attractive the women were

Dr Dacher Keltner of the University of California, who led the study, said, 'Women who displayed more positive emotion were more likely to be married by 27, less likely to have remained single into middle adulthood and more likely to have satisfying marriages 30 years later. This means we can take photos at a wedding and from them we may be able to tell how the marriage will go.'

The scientists used computer technology to measure 44 aspects of facial activity. It is difficult to fake a grin convincingly, because some of the muscles involved are not under our conscious control. Muscles around the eyes, for example, respond only to genuine emotion. When a smile is not heartfelt, it is possible to detect a 'coldness' around the eyes.

The findings may not apply to men; a study of graduates from West Point naval academy found that those who smiled most advanced less far in the military and had fewer children.�

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What makes us happy

• Marriage or family life brings the most happiness during a lifetime, according to research into people's happiness at the start of the 21st century.
• Next came holidays and weekends, followed by student days and retirement.
• The research also revealed that 79% of Britons admit they are not completely happy with their lives, and 7% described themselves as completely fed up or miserable.
• To cheer ourselves up, we get together with friends (71%), spend money (48%), get a good night's sleep (39%) and go for a drink (39%).