As you glance at this article and its title, you may be wondering how cheesy a work of writing can truly be.

We’ve all heard those words of positivity: “Turn that frown upside down!” Soon, these phrases become overused sayings that slowly lose meaning simply from how common they are. The persistent emergence of the fake smile doesn’t quite help either, especially if that smile is comparable to that of the Joker.

Thus, people begin to feel nervous rather than pleased to see a smile. Cheeriness becomes commonplace from how many times people smile. Suddenly, the smile, in all its simplicity, becomes too simple, an obligation dictated by society or a matter of habit. It loses its meaning every time it is displayed.

But what of a smile’s impact? Surely all of its value cannot be gone? A smile may just be the first interaction you can have with a stranger, a way to get your foot in the door or the first step to creating an environment someone can feel comfortable in. It’s present in even the smallest of moments.

On campus, the walks between classes are packed with individuals with similar priorities, all trying to get to their next class at a reasonable time. Any interaction between acquaintances must take five seconds or less. Why not a smile? With small steps, we become familiar with someone else, even if this is through insane levels of multitasking.

A smile is an acknowledgement of this familiarity, a connection with someone that says “I know you!” While not the best exchange with a complete stranger, as it could leave the recipient completely confused as to why a random person is smiling at them, even small acquaintances can take pleasure in this exchange. It’s a small moment that brings one back to the present, to the social world that humans desire so much.

Or, maybe it’s the smile that just wants to say “Hello.” There’s a natural apprehension that comes with talking to someone you’ve never met before. Whether it is an orientation, an interview or merely an introduction, this apprehension never seems to fade. It’s a smile that can immediately set the tone of an entire interaction. To any peer, a smile conveys an admirable sort of confidence, impressive to an employer or comforting to a new friend.

Can our smiles impact us? The facial feedback hypothesis states that the mere act of a facial expression is enough to feel a specific emotion. Frowns can evoke negative emotions such as anger, and smiles can lead to feelings of happiness. It feels almost backwards, that to smile means to be happy, but one can feel happy merely from smiling. In other words, the exchange of a smile is not just an exchange of an expression or a greeting. It’s an exchange of an emotion, a way to cheer someone up from afar.

Familiarity is not the only aspect of the shared smile, though. Perhaps the recipient of the smile had a bad day or, at the very least, is tired. Maybe a smile is enough to give one some energy to allow them to get through their day. It’s impossible to know or understand the mental state of any person we approach, but going in with a smile may be the thing that brightens their day.

As ephemeral as a smile exchange is, we cannot discount it just because everyone smiles. The value of a smile comes not from its execution but from its meaning. The smile must be taken beyond the obligation or the force of habit that makes one lose motivation to smile in the first place—the very same reason that smiles are discounted and devalued. To make an impact, smile with intention.

There’s no true way to direct a smile, to be clear. Our teeth do not produce sonic waves, nor are they so shiny that they reflect light onto someone else. But when we do smile at someone, we must ask why we are smiling in the first place. Is it to say hello? A smile of support? A warm wave of familiarity after seeing someone who you know? There’s a reason to be happy with the exchange, and therefore there is a reason to smile. A happy smile is always perceived as more genuine, and thus takes away the suspicion of the smile’s intentions. To be present and smile makes the communication of the message behind it much clearer and the recipient much happier.

So, when we navigate this world and all of the new people we meet, why not lead with a smile?