“Against the force of laughter, nothing can stand.” ~ Mark Twain

Laughter

One of the RADiCAL women sent me this article a few years ago, and I found it to be really encouraging! The gist is that, we should all lighten up if we want the best kind of life.

Wild, uproarious laughter probably hasn’t been in your life recently if you’re in the middle of a divorce. In fact, laughter of any kind is hard to find in the middle of the rage and sobbing. But that needs to change!

The article’s author, Peter Davison has this to say:

Recommended Daily Regimen to Lighten Up

  1. 10 minutes of singing, 10 minutes of smiling, 20 minutes of dancing, 20 minutes of laughing.
  2. Don’t you think it’s rather backwards how we can walk in a room and greet people like we are the walking dead and nobody notices yet if we enter laughing people look at us like we are crazy?
  3. When you laugh with people you bring the best of yourself.
  4. Laugh with other people – they are being the best that they can be.
  5. Truly laughter is our universal language on the planet.
  6. Laughter is the shortest distance between people.

In the MasterPlan, I have a section about the benefits of laughter: Mr. Davison puts it like this:

Physical Benefits

  • Feel-good hormones start dancing around
  • Blood and all major organs are fully oxygenated leaving us bursting with energy.
  • Our immune system is boosted
  • Promotes cardio-vascular health. Pulse rate and blood pressure rate drops
  • Depression is lessened – and sometimes chronic depression is cured
  • Anti-aging formula – exercise slows the aging process
  • Catharsis – a non-violent approach to the release of harmful emotions

Summary

  • Laughter releases endorphins, giving us the ‘feel good factor’
  • Acts as aerobic exercise and is like ‘internal jogging’
  • Unleashes inhibitions, breaks down barriers
  • Great team building tool encourages better communication
  • Helps boost our immune system which helps us resist disease
  • Tones muscles, improves respiration and circulation
  • Encourages positive thinking and creativity
  • Relaxes the whole body by reducing stress and tension

“A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick.” ~ Proverbs 17:22