When my wife and I were expecting, I was so excited about all of the things I would one day teach my future daughter. While that excitement still remains, I have been pleasantly surprised to find out that I have much to learn from this little one.

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Lesson 1: Smile Always

The world can seem like a pretty drab place these days. People are more divided than ever, and everyone tends to be much more serious than they were a few decades ago. There seems to be an invisible, heavy force or pressure on us to stay serious while walking down the street or waiting in an elevator.

My 8 month old daughter is a smile factory. Nearly every interaction she has with a stranger starts and ends with a huge smile. One of my favorite things is when she tracks a person intently until she gets a smile in return.

It is incredible how much light and vibrance this little one has added to some of the most mundane daily events in which I used to succumb to the aforementioned “serious pressure”. A dull and quiet elevator ride is now an explosion of laughter and smiles. Charlotte (my daughter) loves it, I love it, and the stranger loves it.

Charlotte has taught me that the easiest way to brighten the day is to simply smile at the people around you and just be the sunshine that makes the world a little less dull. So next time you’re feeling the pressure on you, or you’re feeling down, just remember that the key could be right under your nose.

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