Laughter is the best medicine. It’s proven. It is healing for the mind and the body. And humor is infectious and can make a whole group feel better. Laughter binds people together. It can boost your energy, ease pain and relieve stress. And despite being priceless, laughter is free. We can all use more laughter in our lives and here’s how to get some:
One of the best ways to laugh more and stress less is to immerse yourself in an environment where there will be lots of laughter, like a party or a comedy show. There is a reason why sitcoms have canned laughter piped over them; because laughter is infectious and you are more likely to chuckle if those around you are chuckling too.
Stick a picture of your happy and laughing self somewhere prominent, like on your fridge. That way every time you see it you will be reminded of happier, less stressful times and of the fact that your current stress will definitely not last forever.
Enter into a funny fictional world for an hour of so each night by reading a popular and well-received comedy book. This will provide you with a dose of escapism and get you seeing the funny side of things. Hopefully it will translate in to your real world.
Though it’s not the best idea to be completely unaware of current affairs, sometimes the news can be a half hour ordeal that details all of the worst things happening in the world. Give yourself a few days off and you might start to find yourself being little more light-hearted and a little less stressed.
Keep a notebook or diary of all of the fun and humorous things that happen to you each day. When you are feeling particularly down or stressed you can look back at your entries and cheer yourself up a bit reminiscing about all of the funny moments.
An automatic tendency for some people when making jokes is to go straight for themselves and be self-deprecating. It can be funny, but too much self-negativity can serve to get you down, so switch it up and stop yourself as the punch line of your jokes.
In times of stress it can be very hard to see even a day ahead of your current situation, but try to think about the bigger picture, about all of the future fun that your friends and family will bring, and your current problems might not seem so daunting.
There is no end of great comedy films that you can pop in the DVD player to give yourself a break from the stress of the real world. Whether it’s a rom-com, a girl power type comedy or a gross out movie full of vulgar humor, there will definitely be something to help you de-stress.
It sounds silly, but the mere physical act of smiling can often lead to much brighter mood and propensity for laughter than if you were wearing a neutral face. Perhaps a smile attracts more people to you, which opens you up to more fun experiences and laughter.
If there are any young children in your life, then spend some time observing them and the way they go through a day. Children have very carefree attitudes full of fun and joy, and immersing yourself in their way of life for an afternoon can be really freeing.
Discuss your stress with a friend or family member, and as the conversation progresses naturally, you may find that a weight has been lifted from your shoulders and you can begin to laugh at things that before seemed deadly serious. A shoulder to lean on is really important sometimes in helping to change your perception.
I love to laugh. Living alone means I very often have to find my own laughter but that’s ok – I am great at making myself laugh. (I listen to the voices in my head ha ha). No but seriously, please make more time and find ways to laugh -a lot. Your world and the world will be a better place for it. Altogether now - big belly laugh.
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