I was with friends and family last weekend, and we had a hilarious discussion about fruitcake, of all things. As the conversation degenerated, we couldn't stop laughing. In fact, some of us were laughing so hard that we were crying.

As we recovered from this laugh-fest, I reflected on how great everyone felt during and after the conversation. It seemed like endorphins were released for hours, and everyone remained in high spirits. It significantly diffused one person's stress, transformed another's brooding, and overall, created a wonderful memory for all of us.

The feeling that comes from hearty, sustained laughter is tremendous. The old cliché, "laughter is the best remedy" has a real foundation.

Think about the last time you had a good, old fashioned, "full body" laugh. I'm sure it felt good while it was happening, and that feeling probably satisfied you for hours afterward.

We don't do this nearly enough. We'll laugh at a joke or a quip or a funny situation - hopefully multiple times during a day - but we experience deep, prolonged laughter more infrequently.

Laughter can be an important antidote to stress and pressure, and everyone can benefit from having more of it in their lives. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Recall instances when you experienced sustained, hearty laughter. By evoking the memories, you can often bring back the feelings.
• See the humor in your day-to-day life, and share it with someone.
• Hang around with funny people - or people who are funny.

That's it for this week, so have fun bringing more laughter into your life. And, if you eat some fruitcake, I hope you laugh.

Have a great week!

 

 

Copyright 2010 Lisa M. Aldisert

 

 

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