• 80% cotton/20% polyester
• Wash Inside out, Hang to dry
• Unisex Fit

Take a moment and think about how much you actually smile during the day. Whether it’s smiling as someone says hello, laughing at a joke or smiling because you thought of something you love.

Children smile an average of 400 times per day. While cheerful adults still smile 40 to 50 times a day, most of us only smile 20 times a day on average. Pretty crazy to see that decline over the years of our lives. Is it the stress of life that gets to us, or are we just generally unhappier as we live?

How often do we just put a smile on our face because we don’t want people to know what’s really going on inside?

So many days when I found myself barely getting out of bed, I found that I could just “tape” a smile to my face, and go about my day, and no one would know anything was ever wrong. I’d hide behind a fake smile and tell everyone I was doing great.

I found music to be such a great tool to be able to express my feelings when I couldn’t show them properly. From the lyrics to the energy behind it, it all makes you feel not alone in the hard times. When it becomes hard to look on the bright side, it feels like you have someone there walking in the darkness with you. I really hope bands know how much their music and art help people.

We’re all hiding behind some form of fake smiles, just trying to hide from the storms of everyday life. What if we all took a moment every day to think about one little thing we are grateful for that day? Seems like it would start your day off with a smile.

Maybe instead of faking that smile with your friends when they ask how you’re doing, you actually let yourself say you're struggling. It’s okay to ask for help. None of us were put on this earth to go through it alone.

When you’re struggling through the storms of life, and it seems like you’re all alone, find the bright side and grab hold as tight as you can.

-Artist: Ben Vansledright