Don’t pick your nose (at least in public). The other day while I was walking down the street, I saw a guy doing just that. He had the index finger of his right hand up his right nostril, and he was really digging in like he was searching for gold. As I walked past, he turned to face the other way, even though I could still clearly see him as he proceeded to pop the treasure he had found right into his mouth. Super gross.

That got me thinking on a philosophical level, obviously. How does one give off a sense of confidence? How does someone seem like they actually know how to handle life? Picking your nose on your morning commute is definitely not a good way to give off a glowingly optimistic image, so what is?

One simple answer that I came up with is something I think we all could do more often: smile more. 

When I worked as a caterer, I had to carry plates of food from the kitchen to the tables at many events. It was during one of these trips at one of these events that an old grandmotherly woman called me over from a nearby table and said, with a grin on her face, “Make sure to smile.” I must not have been looking very happy at that point, because the comment was completely unexpected. I enjoyed catering, and I was having fun that day, but apparently, I wasn’t showing it. I then grinned and said thanks.

Since then, I’ve always tried to smile as much as possible From my own experience, smiling just makes you feel happy, and everyone could benefit from being a little happier. 

I’m sure there are other ways of looking more confident, but smiling is something everyone can do. When you’re walking down the sidewalk, smile at that stranger whose walking in the opposite direction. When you’re at the register in the supermarket buying that gallon of milk you forgot to get the last time you were at the grocery store, instead of being frustrated that you had to make that extra trip, smile at the cashier while she’s handing you your change. When you’re at a stoplight and you make the mistake of looking over into the car stopped next to you, and then you make that inevitable awkward eye contact with the driver because they looked over too, smile. 

On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t smile at the other driver. That might just make it more awkward.

Anyway, next time you’re walking down the street and you think about digging for gold in the wilderness that is your nose, reconsider. Try smiling instead. You’ll be much happier for it, and you’ll look it too.