Sense Humor
Don't Take Life too Seriously, Really
Don't be
afraid to laugh at yourself: You'll live longer. This is
great news for those of us that are constantly doing
something crazy to laugh about. We didn't know we were
improving our health as we were doing this. How can we laugh
at someone else if we can't laugh at ourselves? Let us look
at the benefits of laughter and even the benefit of laughing
at ourselves.
Ask yourself
is "laughter a good medicine"? Being able to laugh seems to
give a person more control over themselves as well as over
the situation. A good laugh can release anger, fear, and
stress. All of these can cause harm to the body over a
period of time. We need to use the power of smiles and
laughter to help heal as well as prevent bodily ills.
Laughter is in fact, a good medicine.
A good laugh can burn
calories that equal to several minutes on an exercise bike
or rowing machine. Having the ability to laugh is in itself
therapy. This keeps your brain alert and helps in learning
and retaining. We should use laughter as a way of reducing
tension. Usually after a round of laughter there is a more
relaxed atmosphere.
Being able to laugh at
situations helps us to improve our disposition and hopefully
it would influence the ones around us to improve on theirs.
Sometimes just a laugh can dissolve anger and unite troubled
friends or family. Of course it has to be a heartfelt laugh
to work this miracle. We need this laughter to connect with
others in a healthy way. If we can laugh at ourselves, that
is a way of accepting and respecting ourselves. Without this
ability, many situations could work to lower our self
esteem.
Laughter is contagious.
That in itself is an amazing fact, and can work in your
favor more often than not. Have you ever noticed the
individual that constantly smiles? They seem to have a
younger, more appealing personality, than the sad old prune
that never seems to enjoy a moment of their life.
Could it be that the act of
laughing releases some “youth” hormone? Well, actually, it
does in a way. Laughter is an indicator for the body to
release the “feel good” endorphins that are also the gate
keepers to youth. So the more of these hormones that are
present in the body, the more young and alive we appear to
those around us.
Most people would rather be around someone that has a good sense of humor. No one wants to be around a person that always seems stressed out. Laughter may encourage better and more balanced disciplinary measures which could be otherwise emotionally charged issues. We can encourage ourselves and others to stay focused through our laughter and our sense of humor, through dieting or any other goals that we might set. Losing weight is not an easy task for anyone, so isn't it nice to know that if we can get a jump on it just by being a little happier and letting ourselves enjoy a good belly laugh everyday, and it is like a work out. Laughter is a good body workout. Laughter will give your midsection a workout; help with digestion while strengthening the muscle that holds the abdominal organs in place.
You may need to actually
go on a laughter hunt. Search everything in your life for just a
bit of joy. Read funny articles and books even the comics in the
newspaper. You might get a few stares but laugh out loud at a
joke you overheard or was told. You might even turn into a
clown. Be reasonable but take every opportunity to lighten up
and be silly.
Developing this ability
to laugh will be as important as the need to develop healthy,
clean personal hygiene habits; all will contribute to a longer
life. In case you haven’t noticed, many individuals are living
longer, happier lives than ever before in history. Did you
notice, we said “happier” lives? This key factor has played a
tremendous role in making healthier individuals out of us all;
it’s only in the last 20 to 30 years, however, that we’ve begun
to realize the impact of laughter on longevity.
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