The University of South Australia had participants hold a pen between their teeth to activate the same muscles used while smiling. What they found was “when you forcefully practice smiling, it stimulates the [emotional center of the brain] and encourages an emotionally positive state.” So yes, you really can ‘fake it till you make it.’
If you don’t believe it, just go ahead and try it yourself.
Smile and stick a pen between your teeth and push it back so it’s resting where your lips split. Just be careful not to bite down too hard on the pen or your experiment will have the opposite effect. LOL
