LAUGH LIKE A CHILD

When was the last time you had a good belly laugh or laughed so hard you cried?  As we age it appears, we take life more seriously and laugh less.  Dr. Robert Provine suggests that on average, a child laugh 300 times per day compared to 17-20 times for adults.  Somewhere along the road of life we surrendered our natural inclination to face everyday annoyances with a hearty laugh.  We have lost one of our greatest resources to ease life’s daily struggles–laughter.  Benjamin Franklin said, “Trouble knocked on the door, but hearing laughter, hurried away.”  What if we could diminish our troubles by seeing the humor in things versus focusing on detrimental spiral thinking?   At our immediate disposal is healing laugher that can amplify our happiness and empower our health.  The core theme of the “12 Ways to Change Your Life” is to transform ourselves through awareness and accountability into our most magnificent essence.  Challenging ourselves to bring joy into our sphere of influence manifests delight.  At our immediate command are abundant resources within us.

We observe how quickly and easily a child laughs when playing peek-a-boo or how children can take the most boring encounter and bring amusement.   Substantial investigation on laughter supports using our natural birthright gift — smiling and laughing for its own sake.   Multiple research sources validate that laugher can boost the immune system, increase psychological resilience, curb depression, relieve pain, expand social bonds, release endorphins, burn calories, become more appealing to others, and protect our hearts. Many of us are spending our time harshly judging ourselves or others versus focusing our attention on recollecting humorous moments or remembering happy times.  If you want to change your life, engage your inner child, and smile frequently.  Smiling is one of the most contagious and potent bonding forces we can utilize.

Action:  Experiment by purposefully smiling at people for one day.  Reflect on what you discover.

LAUGHTER CONNECTS US

A wicked sense of humor delivered at unexpected moments can create spontaneous laughter in a room full of serious people.  Good humor that does not diminish anyone bonds us and contributes to our sense of wellbeing.  An invisible attachment is created when we laugh together.  All of us can recall a time when there was tension in the air and someone’s quick wit lessened the edgy atmosphere.  I was giving a presentation to a team that was antagonistic towards each other.  To demonstrate how we interrupt situations differently, I displayed a picture that cryptically contained two female faces. The audience deciphered whether they saw a face of an old woman or a young woman.  They realized that their peers did not all agree on what they viewed.   From back of the room someone shouted, “That is one of our customers when they call into our company—young at beginning of the conversation then become old and haggard by the end of the encounter.”  The room roared with laughter because he spoke some truth.  This quick-witted quip resonated with participants and a bond was created.  It was the use of humor that broke the ice and provided a great opportunity to discuss communication issues within the organization.

The point in sharing this story is to remind us that we can be connected through our humor, laughter, and wit.  We have power to change the direction of conversations or the tone of an interaction by using humor.  Even in difficult situations we can break down barriers using clever playfulness.   Early one morning, a client needed to get his airline tickets at the counter.  The person helping him was abrupt and bad-mannered.  He looked her and said, “Have we been married for the past 25 years?”  She broke out in laughter realizing her behavior was not patron friendly.  My client could have yelled and demanded she provide better customer service.  He chose to use humor.  You can judge whether it was good or bad wittiness, but it shifted the atmosphere and brought consciousness without aggression or creating a scene.  Humor can defuse tense situations without devaluing.

Question:  How can you create contagious laughter today?

THE SCIENCE OF LAUGHTER

An article in Forbes magazine entitled “Six Science-Based Reasons Why Laughter is the Best Medicine” by David DiSalvo reveals that laughter is a mind-altering stimulant that benefits both mind and body.  The six findings encompassed:  1) Laughter is a potent endorphin releaser inducing a euphoric high like a narcotic without the bad effects., 2) Laughter forms social bonds that promotes a sense of connection and triggers the feel-good feelings about others., 3) Brain connectivity is expanded when we engage in joyous laughter—not taunting or diminishing “fun”., 4) Laughter is central to relationships.  A study revealed that women laugh about 126% more than males, but men instigated laughter the most.  Women tend to rate a sense of humor as one of the top three traits for a potential partner., 5) Laughter has a similar brain effect as antidepressants.  The neurotransmitter serotonin is activated when we laugh., and 6) Laughter has an anti-inflammatory effect that protects blood vessels and heart muscles.  This reduces the stress response and lessens potential for heart problems.  Science supports that laughter is a powerful medicine.  Laugh more!

I love to laugh and thankfully research is validating this most intrinsic, universal, and valuable human quality benefits us greatly.   I grew up in an extended family that frequently used dry, spontaneous humor—most of the time enjoyable but occasionally hurtful.  It was the laughter in our home that healed many wounds.  I remember many times laughing with my sisters at bedtime even when the day had been charged with tension.  When laughter rings out infusing joy and lightness in the air, we surrender to our authentic essence becoming more real, vulnerable, and reachable.  We let down our guarded nature and momentarily release our tensions melting away discomfort.   Invite laughter into your life, so you can send troubles away.   Laugh more, love more, and be more of your true self—you will heal and change your life as well as others’ lives.

Question:  How has laughter healed or changed you?

LAUGH AND THE WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU—INCREASING YOUR HAPPINESS

Plato remarked, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play, than in a year of conversation.”  How true.  You can quickly determine whether someone can laugh easily or is too serious.  Laughing at ourselves increases our approachability.   Appropriate self-deprecating humor demonstrates humility.  We tend to avoid people who always need to win or are sore losers.  We increase our “likability” factor a hundredfold when we use engaging light-heartedness.  Below are a few suggestions to increase joy.  Researchers suggest that the act of smiling repeatedly helps to interrupt moodiness and strengthens the brain’s neural ability to maintain a positive outlook on life.  Fake smiling is interpreted by others as someone who is more generous and kinder—even if the person is not.  You cannot go wrong (unless you use devaluing humor) by increasing laughter in your life.  No purchase required–just smile frequently.

Ways to Increase Laughter:

Purposefully empower your inner comedian with the intention of increasing your happiness.  Engage in more laughter and you will most likely increase your circle of friends.  Inspire joyfulness and others’ conversations will fondly speak about your charm.  YOU have endless opportunities every day to make a difference through your laughter and positive emotions—what a transformation you can make in your life today.

Question:  What ways will you infuse your life with more joy and laugher?