My Perspective #65: “Laughter: A Laughing Matter.” Let me explain

Sometimes laughing to keep from crying is a very real thing. Some people endure hard things by, in fact, laughing through them. I have been known to do that in the past. As a result, I get accused of being insensitive. I understand why that’d be asserted, but that’s not my heart.

Besides having 1) a faith and a trust in the Lord and, 2) incorporating hard exercise training regimens, laughter is another natural cure for what ails you.

I love a good, hearty laugh. Who doesn’t? How could you not? Whether that laugh comes from a well-delivered joke, a ridiculous comedy, or just a fun banter with like-minded senses of humor (the latter seems to be more and more rare, unfortunately), laughing is therapeutic.

(A Captain-Obvious PSA here: don‘t laugh at others’ expense or misfortune and avoid laughing out of snark or mean sarcasm. 

Laughing out of joy = ideal. 

Laughing out of contempt = no deal.)

Anyway, after some quick research on the benefits of laughing (out of joy, to be clear), this is what the Mayo Clinic  has to report:

• Improves your mood — Improves self-esteem; Confident, happy people laugh!

• Stimulates your organs  — Release the endorphins!

• Activates and relieves your stress response — Decreases your heart-rate and blood pressure.

• Soothes tension — Stimulates circulation and aids muscle relaxation.

• Improves your immune system — Get behind me, cortisol!

• Relieves pain — Releases those natural born painkillers.

• Increases personal satisfaction — Connects you to other people; Enhances empathy and relatability.

My goodness, laugh. 

Laugh and be silly. 

Find enough silliness and ridiculousness in the everyday things to provoke a humorous response. An easy way to do that is to laugh at yourself. Don’t make fun of yourself or put yourself down, but definitely don’t take yourself so seriously. Plus, laughing at yourself reveals at the same time both a humility and a security in yourself too. 

So, laugh. 

I’d be willing to bet, the contagion of laughter is something to which none of us are immune nor from which do any of us want an antidote.

Or is that just me?

Link above: make things hard 

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