Happiness Blog July 8, 2019

Another aspect of joy is laughter. When I laugh, I feel it my whole being. Laughter lights up the entire brain and bathes it in positive chemicals. Laughter lowers blood pressure and reinforces a positive mind-body connection. Laughing with abandon is fun! One of the things I love most about podcasting with my husband is how much he makes me laugh. Creating opportunities for laughter increases joy exponentially. We often get so caught up in our daily grind that we forget to laugh. I find comedy and comedians are a great way to laugh. The more comedians I watch, the more likely I am to have a chuckle in the middle of my day as I remember a joke they told.

A great resource for finding comedians is YouTube, as they have a great many stand-up comedians’ videos. YouTube also has a lot of “try not to laugh” videos that are genuinely funny. Netflix also has a plethora of comedy specials and comedic tv shows. There is also the option of going to a funny play or comedy club. The goal is to invite laughter into your life. The ability to laugh takes practice. The more you laugh, the easier it becomes to laugh and the more things you will find yourself laughing at.

Laughter is essential to having a joyful life. Laughter is just as cleansing as crying and, like crying, when you laugh you have to keep doing it until you’re done. It takes over your entire body with joy. By devoting energy to creating a habit of laughter, we are taking time and energy away from worry, stress, and rumination. Laughter is a celebration of life. The more you laugh, the more joyful you will feel. Developing a habit of laughing won’t fix everything, but it is a good place to start when crafting a joyful life. Being happy and joyful sometimes takes work, but when we achieve it, it is worth the effort. Having more good days than bad starts with inviting joy into your life. Laughter is a great building block for a joyful life.

Posted on Monday: 08 July, 2019