🌿 Weekly Wellness Challenge: The “Smile More” Challenge

It’s time for a new weekly challenge — and wow, what a year it has been. I’m so thankful to have had you all join us on this adventure.

Around Thanksgiving, I noticed something that I’ve seen in years past as well. Even in very busy stores, people seemed unusually kind to one another. Carts were maneuvered with patience. Tight spaces were navigated with grace. There was an unspoken understanding that everyone was doing their best.

That observation stayed with me.

One thing I try to impress upon my children is the importance of smiling. For me, smiling comes very naturally. More often than not, I carry a slightly more positive-than-neutral expression — not because I’m thinking about anything specific, but because of an internal disposition: thankfulness, steadiness, and a sense of grace I’m deeply grateful for.

Recently, I was in a space with many people, and I noticed that I moved through the day with a gentle smile on my face. Not forced. Not performative. Just present. It wasn’t about communication or politeness — it was simply a reflection of how I was feeling inside.

That moment made me reflect.

😊 This Week’s Challenge: Smile More

This week, I’d like us to intentionally focus on smiling — and also on noticing when we smile and why.

We’ve done smile- and positivity-focused challenges before, and for good reason. They’re simple practices that are always worth returning to. Each season of life brings new environments, new pressures, and new opportunities to show up with a little more warmth.

You can continue exploring more weekly challenges in our 52 Weeks Challenge collection, where small practices like this one help families build habits of connection, reflection, and growth throughout the year.

This week isn’t about forcing optimism or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about a small outward expression that often reflects something deeper within us.

🌱 Smiling, Culture, and Children

This is especially interesting to notice in children.

In many cultures around the world, adults are intentional about encouraging children to smile as a way of expressing warmth, respect, and connection. In other places — including much of mainstream American youth culture — smiling is sometimes quietly discouraged as children grow older, replaced with the idea that being neutral, reserved, or even hardened is more “cool.”

Research across cultures shows that smiling isn’t simply about happiness; it’s shaped by social norms and what a culture values in public expression. Some cultures encourage frequent smiling as a sign of friendliness or politeness, while others teach more restraint and context-specific expressions. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology discusses how positive facial expressions can be perceived differently across cultures, which is a helpful reminder that expression is often shaped by context and expectation.

None of this means one culture is right and another is wrong — it simply highlights that smiling is, at least in part, learned and nurtured.

As parents, we have a powerful opportunity to encourage our children to let their smiles out — not as a performance or expectation, but as a natural expression of presence and goodwill. A smile doesn’t need to mean anything more than I’m here, and I’m open.

That kind of warmth connects closely with the reminder in Never Act So Pious You Forget to Be Friendly: kindness and friendliness are not shallow. They are often signs of empathy, security, and inner order.

🔁 Staying Consistent This Week

To stay mindful of this challenge, it helps to gently check in with yourself throughout the day.

Before you walk into a store, a school, an appointment, or a gathering, take a moment to notice your expression. When you’re alone, check in with yourself — there’s never a wrong time to smile.

Smile at your family to acknowledge their presence, to say hello, or to say goodbye. Smile while moving through everyday spaces — in stores, parking lots, waiting areas, and moments of transition.

We’re not trying to set ourselves apart from others or draw attention to ourselves. Instead, we’re simply offering something a bit more positive than a neutral expression.

Sometimes that small shift is enough to soften an interaction — or even a whole moment.

This is also part of what healthy confidence can look like in children and adults: not loudness or performance, but warmth, steadiness, and the ability to move through the world with ease.

🌍 Making a Difference, Gently

Smiling doesn’t require words. It doesn’t require agreement. It doesn’t even require direct interaction.

It can shape how we feel inside, how our families experience us, how our communities feel to move through, and how strangers experience brief moments of shared space.

Those small moments matter because family culture is often built through the ordinary ways we greet, respond, notice, and return to one another. That is one reason we care so much about family closeness that lasts.

As the year comes to a close, let’s offer ourselves — and those around us — this simple, steady gift. Not as a performance, but as a practice. A quiet way of moving through the world with a little more openness.

If this challenge feels especially helpful in your home, you may also enjoy reflecting on why we chose a contribution-focused childhood, because both practices invite children to participate in family life with awareness, kindness, and responsibility.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Smile More Challenge

What is the Smile More Challenge?

The Smile More Challenge is a simple weekly practice that invites families to notice when they smile, why they smile, and how small expressions of warmth can shape the atmosphere at home and in everyday spaces.

Is this challenge about pretending to be happy?

No. This challenge is not about forcing happiness or ignoring hard feelings. It is about practicing warmth, presence, and openness in small, honest ways.

How can parents encourage children to smile naturally?

Parents can model warmth through gentle greetings, relaxed facial expressions, kind eye contact, and simple moments of acknowledgment. The goal is not performance, but helping children feel comfortable showing friendliness and connection.

Why does smiling matter in family life?

Smiling can soften interactions, help children feel welcomed, and create a calmer sense of connection. Small expressions of warmth often become part of the everyday rhythm that helps a family feel safe and close.

How can we practice this challenge during a busy week?

Start small. Smile when greeting your children, walking into a store, saying goodbye, or moving through moments of transition. The practice does not need to be big to make a meaningful difference.

Simple Tools for Family Growth

If your family enjoys small, meaningful practices like this one, you can explore the Here They Grow Etsy shop for printable tools that support routines, reflection, kindness, family connection, and intentional growth at home.

You may also enjoy Be Gentle With Yourself, Mom, especially if this season feels full and you need a reminder that growth can happen gently, without harshness or comparison.

With quiet encouragement,
Ashley