Spreading Happiness through intentional acts of kindness, youth service clubs, and daily gratitude practices.https://www.the-smile-project.com/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/favorite-fruit/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/favorite-fruit/I hate oranges but I love clementines unless the bag is tart and then I take it deeply personally and swear off the fruit for a couple months until I find, in my possession, another clementine and itThu, 17 Sep 2026 00:28:30 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/oh-i-figured-that-out/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/oh-i-figured-that-out/It’s been a few weeks now since I flew to Finland to run the Helsinki Marathon. I don’t speak Finnish beyond the basics I’d learned to feel relevant in communication and I’d never been to that part ofSun, 13 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/on-standby/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/on-standby/I was having a pretty busy Thursday when, in between meetings, I saw an unfamiliar 5 digit number come across my phone. My evening flight had been cancelled. The airline was very sorry. Would I like tWed, 09 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/how-to-ask-for-help/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/how-to-ask-for-help/At work, I have the ability to send emails as myself and also to send emails as a colleague that I correspond with daily. This was established maybe a year or so ago. It’s not the first time I’ve hadSun, 06 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/to-do-the-right-thing/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/to-do-the-right-thing/Years ago, I got tickets to a talk by one of my favorite authors. It was happening one evening after work and it cost maybe $40 – 60. Included in the event was a copy of the author’s latest book. A feThu, 03 Sep 2026 00:22:37 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/challenging-newton/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/challenging-newton/Isaac Newton’s first law of motion is about inertia. An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion until acted upon by an outside force.I think about this often because I feeSun, 30 Aug 2026 10:45:04 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/elbow-scars/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/elbow-scars/The other day, I was washing my hands in the restroom at work when I noticed in the mirror, the reflection of a light scar on my right elbow. It’s subtle, but it surprised me. I got the scar in June,Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:45:03 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/queen-of-delayed-gratification/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/queen-of-delayed-gratification/I love movies but I seldom go to the theatres. Content in my jammies and surrounded by my favorite snacks, I typically prefer watching at home. That’s why earlier this month, it was dizzying when I saSun, 23 Aug 2026 10:15:03 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/the-first-time-i-trained-for-a-marathon/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/the-first-time-i-trained-for-a-marathon/The first time I trained for a marathon my frontal lobe wasn’t fully developed. I like to think that’s why I was—from the second I won the lottery for the New York City Marathon until the moment I hitWed, 19 Aug 2026 09:15:02 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-crown-heights-brooklyn/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-crown-heights-brooklyn/In the name of small scale adventure, I’m spending one day each month exploring an area in or around New York City that I’ve never been to before. Welcome to the neighborhood. For someone who has liveSun, 16 Aug 2026 11:27:51 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/comparing-workouts/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/comparing-workouts/On Wednesday, I did one of my favorite track workouts. The sun wasn’t yet up and the track was quiet with the earliest of walkers and runners. I ran well. I felt good. I was walking the last couple blFri, 14 Aug 2026 20:14:59 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/microdosing-resilience/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/microdosing-resilience/Some mornings I wake up and go for a run. Other mornings, I read or meal prep. On commuting mornings, I watch the clock as I shower and eat my cereal and pack my lunch. Each day, the routine varies slMon, 10 Aug 2026 00:38:25 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/childhood-summer-day-inspiration-from-a-deck-of-playing-cards/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/childhood-summer-day-inspiration-from-a-deck-of-playing-cards/It's not quite 10:00 am and I have been up for 5 hours. A morning run. Some miscellaneous chores. I am now working at my favorite coffee shop.I'm focused. Catching up on emails. Tasks. Deciding how IFri, 07 Aug 2026 16:57:20 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/people-on-the-sidewalk/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/people-on-the-sidewalk/I’m walking from my office to my American Sign Language class and catching up with my mother on the phone. It’s a short walk and today I’ve given myself plenty of time to arrive early. As I’m roundingWed, 05 Aug 2026 01:39:20 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-brighton-beach-brooklyn/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-brighton-beach-brooklyn/In the name of small scale adventure, I’m spending one day each month exploring an area in or around New York City that I’ve never been to before. Welcome to the neighborhood. Earlier this year, in reWed, 29 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/learning-to-let-go/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/learning-to-let-go/When I was a child, my next door neighbors got a golden retriever named Toby. It didn’t take long for the dog to overtake me in size. Because I was (and remain) obsessed with all dogs, I was thrilledSun, 26 Jul 2026 10:15:02 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/working-hard-playing-harder/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/working-hard-playing-harder/This year, I have a goal for how many books I want to read and how many movies I want to watch. To keep on track, I have a weekly reminder in my planner to “watch a movie.” If I miss a week, I copy itWed, 22 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/wildfire-smoke/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/wildfire-smoke/The first day of the air quality concerns in New York City, I was getting ready to go to the office when I received a text from my mom. “They’re telling New Yorkers to wear a mask if they absolutely hSun, 19 Jul 2026 13:16:31 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/effortlessly-lucky/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/effortlessly-lucky/I moved to New York City in January 2016 and eleven months later, in November, I was enamored by the NYC Marathon. At the time, my brother lived along the route. We watched the television as the profeWed, 15 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/in-pursuit-of-interesting-things/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/in-pursuit-of-interesting-things/The first test I ever failed was in a college accounting course and when I say I failed it I mean I got a 48 out of 100. I had never seen a score so low and I was inconsolable. If I failed this levelMon, 13 Jul 2026 00:07:06 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/a-dream-come-true/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/a-dream-come-true/This is a guest post written by Kristen Parry. Kristen is a firm believer in Happiness and Love as the two prominent pillars of life. She is the program manager for The Smile Project and focuses on thWed, 08 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/distance-running-yips/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/distance-running-yips/I think I’ve got the yips, I mumble to myself, laying flat on the apartment floor, legs resting against the front door.I first heard about the yips from a New Yorker article about a baseball player’sSun, 05 Jul 2026 18:47:58 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/halfway-through-2026/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/halfway-through-2026/Every year as the final days of the calendar creep closer, I find myself, like 95% of the population, throwing out careless “where did the year go!” and “I can’t believe it’s almost a new year” in worWed, 01 Jul 2026 22:05:36 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-yonkers-ny/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-yonkers-ny/In the name of small scale adventure, I’m spending one day each month exploring an area in or around New York City that I’ve never been to before. Welcome to the neighborhood. I flew back from my granSun, 28 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/what-is-it-about-this-camp-ryla-reflections/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/what-is-it-about-this-camp-ryla-reflections/I've felt quieter than usual on Smile Project social media lately. A result of back to back... to back to back... to back to back travel and, admittedly, a bit of poor planning on my part. But most reFri, 26 Jun 2026 21:19:06 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/a-summer-i-d-return-to-smile-project-road-trip/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/a-summer-i-d-return-to-smile-project-road-trip/I follow a lot of nonprofit, writing, and kindness focused organizations and groups and recently, one of them sent an email with a reflection question of “what’s a summer you’d go back to?” To be honeSun, 21 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/catch-yourself-doing-something-right/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/catch-yourself-doing-something-right/“Nice save,” I say out loud and to nobody as I stop the fork from tumbling off my breakfast plate, a problem that I, admittedly, caused by moving too fast.I laugh at the way my words sit in the solitaWed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/go-new-york-go-new-york-go/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/go-new-york-go-new-york-go/When I was 21, I moved to New York City. Last month, I turned 32. I grew up outside of Pittsburgh and I’ve always told people that I bleed black and gold—a reference to the Steelers, Penguins, and PirSun, 14 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/pack-your-adventure-bag/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/pack-your-adventure-bag/When I was a little girl, I had an adventure bag. It included a compass that was made to look like a pack of gum, only you slid it open and the compass appeared. It had silly putty, for, naturally, coWed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/service-spotlight-the-teenspace/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/service-spotlight-the-teenspace/Welcome to another edition of #ServiceSpotlight with The Smile Project where we share incredible stories of people doing incredible things in their communities. This week, we are thrilled to share theSun, 07 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/not-losing-sight-of-spring/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/not-losing-sight-of-spring/On May 19, the first day of level 3 ASL class, I introduced myself by fingerspelling my name, signing my location (Queens), and signing my favorite season (spring). The next day, in the midst of a strWed, 03 Jun 2026 10:03:03 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/service-spotlight-young-learners-foundation/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/service-spotlight-young-learners-foundation/Welcome to another edition of #ServiceSpotlight with The Smile Project where we share incredible stories of people doing incredible things in their communities. This week, we are thrilled to share theSun, 31 May 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-manhattan/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-manhattan/In the name of small scale adventure, I’m spending one day each month exploring an area in or around New York City that I’ve never been to before. Welcome to the neighborhood. When I came up with thisSat, 30 May 2026 17:23:58 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/service-spotlight-tumor-tactics/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/service-spotlight-tumor-tactics/Welcome to another edition of #ServiceSpotlight with The Smile Project where we share incredible stories of people doing incredible things in their communities. This week, we are thrilled to share theTue, 26 May 2026 01:20:30 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/nearly-32-years-of-my-grandma-in-memory-of-rose/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/nearly-32-years-of-my-grandma-in-memory-of-rose/When I moved to New York City in 2016, I got in the habit of calling my grandparents every Tuesday. I don’t know why Tuesdays, but because I live and die by routine, it was habitual. At the time, theyFri, 22 May 2026 01:43:35 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/32-grandparents-birthday-giveback-2026/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/32-grandparents-birthday-giveback-2026/I suppose I’m turning 32 this week. Growing up I remember hearing [some] adults in my life say things about how they didn’t give much thought to their birthdays or that “it was just another day.” I neSun, 17 May 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/sports-injuries-in-your-early-30s/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/sports-injuries-in-your-early-30s/“I wonder if I’ve ever cried at this cross street.” I’m leaving the third doctor's office in two days, finally addressing the pain that hasn’t left my foot in ten days. I bite my tongue until my eyesTue, 12 May 2026 23:59:35 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/thank-you-to-the-graduating-seniors-from-the-westminster-college-spark-leadership-team-2025-2026/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/thank-you-to-the-graduating-seniors-from-the-westminster-college-spark-leadership-team-2025-2026/The Smile Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading Happiness through intentional acts of kindness, youth service clubs, and daily gratitude practices. Our flagship program finds itsSun, 10 May 2026 12:47:18 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/what-we-get-used-to/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/what-we-get-used-to/I was thinking the other day about the phrase, “I could get used to this.” How it’s the kind of filler thing we say on a perfect Saturday when we’re lying under a shade tree on a blanket in the park,Sun, 10 May 2026 01:26:33 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/reflections-on-the-great-saunter/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/reflections-on-the-great-saunter/“This is very “you” (not in a derogatory way),” my brother texts me in response to my asking him to walk the approximately 32-mile perimeter of Manhattan with me in a single day. I’ve always been drawThu, 07 May 2026 22:50:07 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-jackson-heights-queens/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/welcome-to-the-neighborhood-jackson-heights-queens/In the name of small scale adventure, I’m spending one day each month exploring an area in or around New York City that I’ve never been to before. Welcome to the neighborhood. This was my cheat neighbWed, 29 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/things-that-make-sense-1/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/things-that-make-sense-1/I like things that make sense. And while this might make it seem like I’m super logical and practical, I am absolutely not. I like things that make sense to me which often means it’s the least logicalSun, 26 Apr 2026 10:45:04 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/things-that-make-sense/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/things-that-make-sense/I like things that make sense. And while this might make it seem like I’m super logical and practical, I am absolutely not. I like things that make sense to me which often means it’s the least logicalSun, 26 Apr 2026 09:15:04 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/reflections-on-the-hoover-dam/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/reflections-on-the-hoover-dam/I was watching Jeopardy! a few weeks ago and correctly answered a question about the Hoover Dam that I only knew because when I was 25, I quit my job and spent two months driving around the United StaWed, 22 Apr 2026 09:30:06 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/more-than-one-way-to-climb-a-tree/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/more-than-one-way-to-climb-a-tree/At some point very early in childhood, after many Western Pennsylvania car rides where my brothers would point out a deer and I’d frustratingly say, “where?!” over and over again, unable to see what wSun, 19 Apr 2026 08:00:09 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/we-have-so-many-people-left-to-love/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/we-have-so-many-people-left-to-love/I was looking at a picture recently of myself with two of my dearest friends, both of whom I met in New York City. One I’ve known for almost a decade. The other I met through the first friend a coupleWed, 15 Apr 2026 10:15:08 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/waiting-two-years-for-kazakh-jelly/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/waiting-two-years-for-kazakh-jelly/Two years ago I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Astana, Kazakhstan for work. At some point on the trip, I acquired a small portable jelly (like the shelf-stable kind that sits on a diner tSun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:07 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/let-life-surprise-you-reflections-on-a-run-club/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/let-life-surprise-you-reflections-on-a-run-club/I loved playing tennis in elementary school and even went to a school summer camp for it for a couple years. Unfortunately, you couldn’t join the tennis team until high school. My brother, four yearsWed, 08 Apr 2026 09:15:07 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/a-fair-former-relationship-assessment/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/a-fair-former-relationship-assessment/I was talking with a friend once who was frustrated that their ex seemed to be putting in more effort with their new partner than they ever had with them. This is, of course, a fairly common story. ToSun, 05 Apr 2026 11:00:11 GMThttps://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/the-trap-of-later-and-my-tuesday-off/https://www.the-smile-project.com/single-post/the-trap-of-later-and-my-tuesday-off/After being both reckless and cautious with my PTO last year, I found myself halfway through March with about a day and half that wouldn’t roll over past the end of the month. That’s how I ended up taWed, 01 Apr 2026 21:33:55 GMT