Every year, the first Friday in October marks World Smile Day—a celebration born from a simple yellow icon created in 1963 by artist Harvey Ball. That cheerful smiley face, which has since evolved into the ubiquitous smile emoji, set off a global phenomenon. Today, smiles are everywhere, both in person and online, serving as universal gestures of kindness and connection.
Why are smiles so powerful? They’re infectious in the best way. When you smile at someone, you often receive a smile in return. That small exchange can brighten someone’s day, create a sense of safety, and even spark a feeling of community. Smiles are not just expressions—they’re pieces of recovery capital, tiny investments that strengthen the wellness of those around us as well as our own.
Take a moment to remember the last time you smiled at yourself in the mirror. What did you feel? For many, it’s a reminder of resilience and gratitude—evidence that you’re still here, working toward what matters. In the world of recovery and behavioral health, these moments of positivity add up. Whether you’re supporting a peer, greeting a neighbor, or sharing a silly note with a loved one, your smile can ripple outward, creating a culture of care and encouragement.
Everyday acts of kindness—like thanking someone who cleans up the sidewalk or bringing in a neighbor’s mail—become even more meaningful with a smile. These simple gestures don’t just help others; they help us, too. Each smile shared is a building block for stronger relationships, greater self-esteem, and a more supportive community. The more we give, the more we get back—a powerful recipe for personal and collective wellness.
So I just found out that alongside World Smile Day, in October, we celebrate World Teachers Day, World Mental Health Day, World Food Day, National Book Month, and National Pizza Month. Each of these observances invites us to reflect on gratitude, nourishment, learning, and joy—all things that can make us smile, especially Pizza!
At CHOiCE Recovery Coaching, we encourage everyone to harness the healing power of a smile. It’s a gift you can offer freely, and it might be just what someone needs to feel seen, valued, and hopeful !
So let’s simplify. We can all easily spread connection, recovery and wellness—one smile at a time!
Robert “Bob” Rousseau 01/26/1950 – 09/17/2025
In his own words: “Robert Rousseau was born on January 26, 1950, in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He is a person in long term recovery from mental health and substance use challenges. Bob served thirty years as a Catholic, Religious Order Priest (1976-2006) in various parts of the country and nearly twenty years (2006-2025) as a peer recovery worker in MA. Bob´s extensive academic training and forty years of lived experience served as an excellent springboard to be a practitioner, a supervisor, a facilitator and presenter of training in the peer recovery workforce.”
UPCOMING TRAININGS
There is no one pathway or one way to recover. The human brain has the capacity to continuously create new neural pathways, so we might actually say that there are as many paths as there are decisions.
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S M i L E !