How often do you smile when you're in public situations?

Just relax, look at people and smile. You’ll get tons of smiles back.

We smile at strangers, in public places, to convey civility and respect. When someone gives a (sincere) smile to a cashier, waiter, or someone else in a service job, the person’s saying, “You may be serving me, but you’re not subservient to me.” It’s all very egalitarian.

If you just think about that motivation for smiling, you might find it easier to do so.

By the way, this concept is very North American. Many cultures don’t smile as freely; in fact, in some places, smiling at a stranger is considered to be superficial and ingratiating.

I do it often. I smile at elderly people to maybe cheer them up, pretty women as I might love how they look and sometimes guys. Which I know could be taken the wrong way. I wish more people smiled the world would just seem a more friendlier place.

“How often do you smile when you’re in public situations?”

Always.

It’s the private smiles I struggle to achieve. Those are more grinnish.

Oh man, I’m a walking comedienne, I smile and joke wherever I go.
I gave blood this morning and the guy that draws my blood just loves me, I think he schedules me as much as possible just for the laughs. We went on and on this morning, complete inanity and great improv. lol

” Don’t forget to squeeze my ball.” lolol

Quite often – at nearly every person whose eye I catch. It’s a reflexive masking maneuver.

All the time.

I tend to smile and laugh when I’m nervous. I’m nearly always nervous in public.

Catch my eye; get my smile. I smile at things as well as people whose eyes I meet. Flowers, trees, birds, the sky and clouds, dogs; many things make me smile on any given day. I feel sorry for people who find no joy. Even when I’m sad, I can find things to smile about. And maybe was you who smiled at me and made me feel better.

Our species did not evolve the ability to smile.

I smile if I make eye contact in public.I generally get smiles back as well.I just see it as a way of being polite.

All the time.

I’ll add that women are expected to smile. I think it is unfair and sexist. A woman without a smile is scene as unhappy or unfriendly. A man is viewed as neutral or even serious in a good way. A woman who doesn’t smile will have it pointed out to her. At least that is what happens in America. Men, strangers, will tell her to smile, and she will be asked what’s wrong by both sexes. Men do not get these requests or questions.

I don’t smile with all that in mind, I naturally smile a lot. My only point is if you aren’t smiling this is what you will probably deal with.

I smile at pretty ladies, I smile at puppy dawgs, I smile at a random thought that happened to pop into my head, but I never, repeat never, smile at men.
It’s just not the done thing, a nod of the head sometimes accompanied by a pursed lip is the way to go.

Quite often, because I enjoy people smiling back at me. And many do, which is a normal human reaction.

Always. I remember people saying when I was little that I always had a smile on my face.