--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Herbert, Lester G. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 25 number: 12 published: 1922-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Lester G. Herbert, "A Smiling Business", *Improvement Era* 25, no. 12 (October 1922): 1080–1081.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera25012unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera25012unse start_page: 1080 end_page: 1081 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1922-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera25012unse publication_year: 1922 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1922, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Smiling Business A Smiling Business By Lester G. Herbert The Chinese have a proverb which contains within its short word limit, a vast deal of wisdom. These ancient people say, "He who cannot smile ought not to keep a shop." Just look around among your friends and acquaintances who are in business, and for the fun of the thing make this test. Take a sheet of white paper, and on the one side rule off two broad columns. Head the first column "Smiling Businesses," and the second, "Smiling Proprietors." Turn the page over and rule the other side in exactly the same way. Head one column, "Gloomy Businesses," and the other column, "Gloomy Proprietors." Now start down the street which you know best, and hon- estly tabulate all of the businesses and all of the men who are at the heads of them. You will be surprised to find that in- variably businesses which are in a happy, smiling, prosperous condition, are presided over by those who are cordial and genial. Some people interpret courtesy to mean exaggerated, even 6tilted, politeness. As a result, they make people uncomfort- able and self-conscious. There is not an ease, a cordiality, and an interested friendliness which awakens an answering glow of pleasure. You have approached such business people yourself, who prided themselves on their (extreme courtesy, and yet who were so indirect in their methods, and ponderous in their mental processes, that in a few minutes the nervous tension was com- municated to the customer, who at once began to feel bored and ill at ease. The next man you called upon was ready with a genuine smile — not a made-up one. He was honestly interested and eager to get your point of view that he might serve you just as you wanted to be served. You have enjoyed going back there again and again. You list this without craestion as a Smiling Business and a Smiling Proprietor. The man who is too busy to smile, or who permits himself to be too greatly irritated by small annoyances, and large ones too for that matter, so that he cannot smile, may think that he A SMILING BUSINESS 1081 is working his fingers to the bone. He isn't. He is using up his nerve force and that of everybody around him. Smile if you have to take a series of facial calisthenic ex- ercises before your mirror every morning. Learn to smile by going among smiling people. Attend pleasing entertainments. Read humorous books and periodicals and cultivate the habit of seeing the genuinely funny in every situation. Do not do this with the idea of being sarcastic or of making people un- comfortable by making fun of them, for that will never make friends. What I mean is to learn to indulge the inward chuckle which starts at one's heart and just ripples outward, touching the edge of the whole day. Smile whether you feel like it or not, and after a while you will really feiel like it, and the day which started out so drab and chill, will be brightened by genuine sunshine. If you positively cannot smile, and the most skilful surgeon you can find declares he cannot perform an operation which will permit you to smile, then take it for granted that Nature never intended you, would be a storekeeper, or in any line of business in which you would come in personal contact with the public. There are some callings in which the very serious individual can get along nicely. The undertaking business is one of them. In the meantime, while you are still in the retail field, or deal- ing with live folks, smile. Your response will be a great deal more satisfactory and you will be happier yoursielf. Plant a smile, and you will reap a crop of smiles; plant a frown, and thistles and tares will spring up and entangle your pathway. Give your employees the benefit of your sunny side. Let your children and family know you at your best. Let your friends appreciate your truly genial and kindly side. Do not save your smiles for the occasional or chance acquaintance. Give your best where it will mean most! Auburn, N. Y. An Evening Prayer Lord, I thank thee for the light thou hast kept within my sight, I am grateful unto thee, for thy gospel message free. Let thy Spirit point the way through the night and coming day, Guide, Oh, guide me all the way. Chorus: Let thy Spirit's wondrous power lead me in the truth each hour, May my footsteps always be safely planted, Lord, with thee. May thy whispering Spirit lead, guide me in the hour of need; Help, O help me on the way, through the night and coming day, Keep me from the tempter's snare, guide me safely everywhere, Blessed Savior, hear my prayer. Moab, Utah Francis M. Shafer