Laughter…it feels oh so good!
Do you remember the last time you experienced one of those knee-slapping, tear-inducing, beautiful-feeling, endorphin-filled belly laughs? Isn’t it fun when it happens for no apparent reason? You laugh and you guffaw, and you giggle until you are breathless. Your sides begin to hurt. Your cheeks begin to warm. You have a warm glow and happy, joyful feeling and really don’t care who sees or hears you?
How much fun is that?
Don’t you just love the contagious nature of a good belly laugh? One person starts, then another, then another?
Are you at least smiling at the thought?
When we laugh, we are immediately basking in the present moment. You might be surprised to learn that simple laughing is a form of powerful meditation. And when laughing, we are able to transform the current physical and mental stresses we may be feeling in the moment into a beautiful connection with our heart center.
The act of laughing engages your emotions, your heart and soul, and your entire physical body. Laughing brings JOY to you and those around you. It can relax and inspire you. It can open your eyes and make the challenges of life seem much less serious.
So make a silly face. Think of a funny situation. Remember funny joke. Or think how goofy it seems to be laughing by yourself with nobody else around.
I remember a time my dear Grandmother told this lovely, funny joke. She worked at a little Rexall Drug Store in Mid-Michigan and everyone in the little town she lived in knew her. She was so excited to get home and tell us grandkids the joke she had heard that day, which was quite innocuous, but watching her tell it and the tears of laughter running down her face…well, it is a precious memory for me I still hold in my heart at least four decades later. I’m smiling now just thinking about it.
This is my “Grandma Margaret” holding my newborn daughter Hannah and flanked by my two youngest cousins – Jessica and Josh. Oh, what great memories we have of our dear, sweet, loving Grandma.
Click to play
Listen to my Grandma Joke Here (3 min)
And don’t just take it from me, according to the Mayo Clinic there are many stress relief health benefits to be gained from smiling and laughing. Laughing is no joking matter. See the Mayo article here.
Imagine if you were to start your day with a silly belly laugh? How would that feel? Can you envision how it could add a joyful outlook to your entire day? And what if you allowed yourself to laugh before you went to sleep? Wouldn’t your dreams become much sweeter?
I invite you to consciously start each day with a smile, even if nobody else is around. And anytime you begin to feel stressed, or a co-worker or situation knocks you out of alignment, take a moment to breathe and offer a disarming smile – make that your first reaction! Laughter is certainly the best medicine around!
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