So today this guy was doing construction at my house and said, "Smile, it's not that bad." I didn't even know the guy, and he seemed kinda rude anyway. Just because I'm not smiling at the exact moment you look at me, it doesn't mean I'm upset. It's hard because if I'm not smiling, then I end up having an angry face look, even though I cannot help it, it's just how I look.:P People have said this to me plenty of times and they were all men. I'm usually having a good day when people tell me this phrase, and then they piss me off. I think people should smile whenever the hell they feel like it, not when someone tells them to.

I think he was just trying to be friendly and cheer you up cuz you looked upset or something. I would not read too much into it. It's certainly nothing to get pissed at i would imagine. Xd

Yes! I have this happen to me all the time!! Or if they think they know me, they'll ask me 'what's wrong?' Nooothing, I'm just not smiling right now, ok?

Why is it we have to smile all the time or we're not 'happy'? Even online, if you don't put an emoticon after a lot of regular sentences people think you're being rude or take it the wrong way?

I just dont see the big deal or how its offensive. I mean it's not like they are saying cheer up emo kid. or something like that. Xd

Yeah, sometimes I get annoyed when people do that to me. Sometimes I'm just lost in my thoughts when I'm out doing something.

I remember one time I was buying groceries with my father and the check out guy said something to me about how I should smile. I remember just looking up at him like WTF because I had something on my mind. He was all 'ha ha it's just a phase' to my dad and I wanted to kick him in the face. It's none of his business! He had no idea what was going on.

A lot of times people do it to be funny or cute or to cheer you up, but sometimes they're just being rude and mocking. Either way, I don't really appreciate it.

aw.. that sucks. He probably meant well though >_< I understand though. it's hard smiling. I have to greet people at work with a smile. It's not really a real one but I guess I'm getting used to smiling not for real. I feel a bit dishonest, but people like it better when you greet them with a smile so I do my best.

but it's true, while most people do look better smiling you cannot smile all the time ^^

Originally Posted by Gary Stargazer

I just dont see the big deal or how its offensive. I mean it's not like they are saying cheer up emo kid. or something like that. Xd

Well it's offensive the WAY people say it. For instance, I've had customers say it at work like my job is "not that bad and I need to smile." I actually had a reason not to smile because I was sick with mono and a stomach bacteria for over 3 months without knowing what was wrong with me. What gives people the right to tell me how I'm feeling when they have no clue.

Originally Posted by Son Zack

Yeah, sometimes I get annoyed when people do that to me. Sometimes I'm just lost in my thoughts when I'm out doing something.

I remember one time I was buying groceries with my father and the check out guy said something to me about how I should smile. I remember just looking up at him like WTF because I had something on my mind. He was all 'ha ha it's just a phase' to my dad and I wanted to kick him in the face. It's none of his business! He had no idea what was going on.

A lot of times people do it to be funny or cute or to cheer you up, but sometimes they're just being rude and mocking. Either way, I don't really appreciate it.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who this happens to. For a while there, it made me feel like, "wow I must look really f***ing mean or something..."

Sorry if this is double posting, but I'm having problems with the editing and it won't let me delete it...... :P

That has happened to me too many times x_x

Im a happy-go-lucky person unless something really gets me down and when I walk around in a content mood people often think that Im upset. My mom even turns around and tells me to fake a smile-----I sooo dont want to do that unless Im in the mood to smile :gonk:

Mines usually aww why you so sad? It ticks me off because I have a sleeping disorder that makes me tireder than hell at random times (like nympholepsy but the attacks lasts longer.) and usually I having a content day. Just tell the people your not pissed off depressed overly excited some people are just built that way sadly D: <3

I think people are generally just trying to be friendly. I had somebody in a passing car, say it to me when i was walking back from work about a month ago. It made me smile, because i was feeling rather down at the time.

Hmm...I have never had such an event occur in my life, probably because I am almost always smiling.
My idea is that if you smile, others will smile or at least feel better. If you have an unhappy or even annoyed face on (of which my 'content' face looks like) then you might upset other people.

Just imagine if everyone on the bus looked unhappy/angry/annoyed/etc. Depending on your own personality you might start feeling unhappy. Imagine now if people looked happy and seem to be in high spirits. Chances are your own mood will be improved, if only a bit.

So smiling is good. :D

I wouldn't get too upset. Most times, people say that to be nice and friendly. Wouldn't you agree that that's a good thing? It may be aggravating to hear sometimes, and other times it may be the last thing you feel like doing, but I doubt anything bad will happen if you give one anyway. During those times, it will probably make you feel better, despite what you may be really feeling. Smiles ARE contagious!

Even though smiling can communicate to others that am feeling good, I almost never smile. I don't like smiling because after about two seconds it feels fake.

My dad has a habit of every once in awhile saying "smile" in a rather strange voice in an attempt to get me (or my sister) to smile. Everytime he tries thig he fails miserably because subsequently my sister and I will frown and say "no".

The only time I smile a lot is when I am reading FanFics and there is something in it that I find funny and then I'll start verbally spoofing it and then I smile (really prettily) and it doesn't feel fake.... Though I ALWAYS do this when NO ONE is around..... I guess I smilebetter when I'm alone.... That seems like an oxy-moron... I mean you're supposed to be happy/smiley around others..... I guess I'm weird that way...

He was trying to be nice and cheer you up.

That saying's alright, I mean, I think you're just interpreting it wrong... as for "you can't have your cake and eat it too", I HATE it when anyone says that.

At my job I always get told to smile by customers. I guess I always have an angry look on my face or something. But honestly, dealing with them all day does not make me want to smile.

I understand what you mean, but sometimes people just say it as a way of being like "Hey, whatever's going on, don't worry and fret so much, just look on the bright side and smile" kind of thing. It's hard though, because it's like, you can't force someone to be happy - it just happens.

:lol: I get the smile request sometimes. It all depends on what is going on with me at the moment. Smiling just because someone asks can be annoying(situation is terrible), cheer me up(feeling blah), or I give a wtf?(they interrupted my thoughts) expression. XD

My normal face always looks sad or depressed or something (so people tell me) so I tend to get remarks of similar nature constantly. I just don't like it when they have that "holier-than-though" attitude about them, or they say it in a snide way. Like many of you have said, where the f* do they get off thinking they know how I should be or what I'm thinking?
I ESPECIALLY hate it when my family does it to me, especially if I'm actually upset about something. It's always a group act and they all take turns teasing me about it.
:(

Originally Posted by Ogaku Tenshi

Even though smiling can communicate to others that am feeling good, I almost never smile. I don't like smiling because after about two seconds it feels fake.

My dad has a habit of every once in awhile saying "smile" in a rather strange voice in an attempt to get me (or my sister) to smile. Everytime he tries thig he fails miserably because subsequently my sister and I will frown and say "no".

The only time I smile a lot is when I am reading FanFics and there is something in it that I find funny and then I'll start verbally spoofing it and then I smile (really prettily) and it doesn't feel fake.... Though I ALWAYS do this when NO ONE is around..... I guess I smilebetter when I'm alone.... That seems like an oxy-moron... I mean you're supposed to be happy/smiley around others..... I guess I'm weird that way...

You certainly don't have to be around others to be happy. I can watch a funny movie by myself, or listen to my music, or read and watch funny things online, and be just as happy as with a group of people I know at a get together. Maybe you're just shy around others, or aren't as comfortable. I know some people are afraid to smile because they may feel they have bad teeth or an ugly smile, but I can't ever see myself thinking of anyone's smile as being ugly.

i dont smile randomly (well, ok i do. but its not random to me, im always remembering something funny. once i just randomly bust out laughing about something that happened years ago. ok, more than once. when i got asked what was so funny i couldnt even answer. i cant remember what was so damn funny. im better at controlling that, but if i ever just want to bust up laughing in public, and i restrain it, i always just randomly let out a giggle or quiet laugh on accident. oh! right, what was i talking about? lol jeez, i get so sidetracked! XD sorry) cuz after a few seconds it feels fake, and i dont fake smile. fake smiling feels stupid looking to me, so i dont bother. i hate when somebody asks whats wrong cuz im not smiling at that very second, or people wil be talking to me and i'll get side tracked (as always) and i cannot pretend im listenin. i always just randomly mumble "mhm" in this absent-minded tone every time they pause, and i half listen so i get the basic thing they are talking about. well, apparently i sound depressed when im sidetracked, or i sound pissed off or something, cuz after a bit they sometimes ask why i sound sad or something. and im always like "....what?" cuz im usually in a cheery mood at the time. it just catches me off guard, and it sometimes takes a few minutes to convince them that im not sad at all. at all. i just think its weird, they seem to skrew up my extreme absent-minded-ness with sadness i guess. i have no idea...

and i think my smile is ugly. i have bad teeth and im shy, so i dont smile in public for too long.

I learned that in life things really arent as bad as we think they are. Trust me they can certainly be worse. He was just trying to let you know that someone noticed you werent happy.

I have a naturally mopey/angry face and I hate it. People think I'm upset sometimes when I'm not.

I agree, people can smile whenever the hell they want right? But don't think of it as being rude or anything, he just thought you looked upset and tried to cheer you up. Not everyone is perfect, he most likely didn't know. :3

That drives me crazy when people say that. I mean in ways it's understandable since most guys believe that a young woman/lady should never have a upset look but still, I think that if you don't know the person that well or at all you shouldn't say anything 'cause you don't know what mood you can put them in or what