Smile Challenge

Spread it Around

About this Activity

Are You up for a Challenge?

I recently read a great book (called the “Go-Giver”) where the “Smile Challenge” was mentioned. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. In short, the challenge is to make everyone you come in contact with smile.

I tried it, and it felt amazing! Now I make it a point to incorporate it every day with everyone. You never know whose day you can brighten (let alone your own day because you are smiling so much).

Take this example (paraphrased) from the book I was reading; it really touched me because you never know what someone else is going through in their life:

A woman was working in an accounting firm. All of her co-workers knew that her goal was to make every person she encountered smile. One client was the grumpiest of clients - he would drive up outside of the office and expect the staff to deliver his papers to his car, would frown incessantly, and never exchange any words with the staff. The woman took on the challenge of making him smile.

For months, every time he drove up, she would greet him and make small talk and try to make him smile. She didn’t think she was getting anywhere with him until Christmas time.

She was working late and looked up from her desk, and there was the “grumpy client” standing with a gift for her. He explained that he had MS and had been so angry that he could not walk very well or do the simple daily tasks he once could. He was so grateful to this woman and said she was the first person ever to be nice to him, and it touched his life.

Moral of the Story

You never know what someone else’s story is or what they are going through, but you can brighten their day and yours by the simple act of smiling.

Who will you spread a smile to today?

Nichole Lindroth Bontrager

CEO & Life Enthusiast at Maria’s Place