Laughing at Life

Sometimes it's just not easy to find the lighter side of things in life. Because let's face it, there's a lot of things in life that just aren't funny. Hilary Clinton as President of the United States does not make me bowl over with laughter. My mother-in-law in a silk teddy from Victoria's Secret is far from funny. Although if you can imagine ET in a black negligee and a feather boa you can get a good idea of what I'm talking about and I guess -- come to think of it -- that is kind of funny, so let's scratch that example. Anyway -- my point is that although we are indeed living in some serious times right now, there's a lot to be said for looking at the lighter side of life. Fortunately I'm not the only one who thinks this way; otherwise I'd have a much shorter article.

Www.Helpguide.org points out that "...humor and laughter strengthen our immune systems and help us recover from illness, as well as bring joy into our lives. Laughter activates the chemistry of the will to live and increases our capacity to fight disease..." Laughing -- they go on to say -- relaxes the body and reduces problems associated with high blood pressure, strokes, arthritis, and ulcers. In fact, some research suggests that laughter may also reduce the risk of heart disease. Let's face it: anything that is going to help me feel better, possibly live longer and is legal is a good thing!

A recent study conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that a good sense of humor and the ability to laugh at stressful situations helps mitigate the damaging physical effects of distressing emotions. The site www.personal-development.com uses the acronym L.A.U.G.H.T.E.R. to remind us of the benefits of laughter:

'L' stands for LIVE life to the fullest. When we share humor, we are living in the moment and spreading joy at the same time.

'A' stands for an AWARENESS and APPRECIATION for all life has to offer.

'U' stands for USE your brain to drain pain with laughter. USE humor to discover delight, joy, and peace of mind. The other day when I was at my mother-in-law's house, I turned all the framed paintings in her living room upside-down when she was in the bathroom. It's been nearly a week now and last I heard they were STILL upside-down. The local women's club is gonna be at her place to play cards tomorrow night so we'll see what happens.

Moving right along.

'G' stands for GOOD HUMOR at all times. You never want to laugh at someone else's expense -- unless of course she's your mother-in-law.

'H' stands for HEALTH. Laughter detaches us from our problems and pummels negative emotions; it is the best medicine.

'T' stands for TRANSFORM. Laughter transforms our thoughts, which in turn transforms our feelings for the better.

'E' stands for EXUBERANCE, which is the zest that laughter brings to our lives. And finally

'R' stands for the RESILIENCE we acquire by learning to deal with hardship and pain, for humor is the strongest weapon against adversity.

I think it's important to point out that laughing at life is not the same as having a sense of humor. I think the two go hand-in-hand, but at the same time I know plenty of folks who are really serious, yet inside they are laughing. They are just at a loss in terms of expressing this laughter.

According to www.amsa.org a sense of humor is developed by putting time, focus and energy into experiences that make us laugh and feel good. There are certainly more tips than the ones offered below by amsa.org, but they are as good as any:

- Look for the everyday humor. Start looking for the absurd, silly, incongruous activities that go on around you each day.

- Observe infants and young children to learn how to find delight and amusement in the most ordinary things.

- Increase you exposure to comedies, comic sitcoms, joke books, comedy clubs, etc.

- Hang around funny friends, or better yet, marry a funny partner.

- Take a 5-10 minute humor break each day. Read jokes, add to a humor notebook, listen to a funny tape. Fart in an elevator just to watch people's expressions.

- If you hear a joke you really like, write it down, or tell it to someone else to help you remember it.

- Spend time with those who help you see the bright side, and, whenever possible, avoid people who are negative and dour.

- Avoid conversation, news and entertainment, that frightens, upsets and distresses you or makes you feel sad and unhappy.

It doesn't take much to smile and it takes even less effort to laugh. You owe it to yourself to start your day with a smile and it the same way!