Spreading smiles, spreading happiness

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: JIM AND JENNIFER MOSS
Jim Moss spreads smiles at Techtoberfest.

They say that smiles are contagious. One social research project that has reached a global audience is based on just that - the spread of smiles.

The Smile Epidemic is essentially a project that encourages the public to write down something that makes them happy above a smile, take a picture of themselves with the smile and post it online using Facebook, Twitter or the Smile Epidemic blog. "What we do is have people share what they're grateful for and what makes them happy, and they do it proudly, they share it online," said founder Jim Moss. "This affects a number of things: gratitude, happiness, optimism, resiliency and social stability."

Moss is currently completing his undergrad in Psychology at Wilfred Laurier University. But before dedicating his time to researching and spreading happiness, Moss was a professional athlete. He played on Canada's national field and indoor lacrosse team for several years, and he was also a member of the London Knights from 1996 to 1998 and was team captain during the 1997/98 season.

A rare illness ended his athletic career and led him to develop this new campaign. "In 2009, I was training for my season, and all of a sudden, I contracted a rare neuromuscular disease. Within 48 hours, I found myself in a hospital bed; I couldn't walk anymore. My brain, in the process, forgot how to walk, and I lost the feeling in my hands and my feet. I had to learn how to walk again," he said.

Throughout his road to recovery, Moss focused on staying optimistic. "I realized how important it is to stay in a positive frame of mind, and that really worked."

Moss already completed an undergrad in Philosophy from Western University but chose to return to school to study psychology after he was diagnosed. "My studies included Post Traumatic Stress versus Post Traumatic Growth. Some people endure really traumatic things in life and say, 'I'd never change that.' How I am, I would never change my experience, because I've learned so much from it," he said.

Moss knew he wanted to learn more about the importance of positivity, but it was one particular moment that sparked his idea to share the happiness online. "I was sitting in my office and I could hear my kids — a five-year-old and a two-year-old, Wyatt and Olivia — I could hear them giggling in the bathtub, and at that time I was having a really difficult time walking and was sitting in my office doing some schoolwork … I wrote it on a big piece of a paper with a smile on it and posted in on my Facebook. One thing led to another and people started sending me pictures back."

Two months later, in January 2012, Moss made it into a full-time blog and truly realized the potential it could have on individuals around the world. Using the hashtag #30daysofhappiness, the blog now features smiles from over 1,700 people from 125 countries across the world.

The most common food item mentioned on the blog is bacon and the most popular smile-inducers in general are family members and family pets. "It's really neat, because if you take what people list, it really tends to be the simple, important things we need in life: family and friends, social activities, food," said Moss.

The Smile Epidemic is beaming with new ideas. With a new website and mobile app set to be released just before Christmas, Moss is hoping to make it as easy as possible for individuals to participate. Sharers also now have the opportunity to post their smiles in a video-blog format to the website. Moss said he is working to pitch a TV show and documentary that would be solely based on videos that individuals submit. He also has interest in travelling to third-world countries to discover the varying meanings of happiness across the globe.

What makes you happy? To join the #30daysofhappiness campaign, visit thesmileepidemic.com.