Last week a friend of mine who’d come to stay and celebrate her birthday had to head back to the east coast. Of course, I was sad when she left (we shared some truly amazing times!) but what struck me most of all upon her departure was how much laughter we’d shared during her visit.
It felt good to laugh that much. Boy did it ever feel good.
You’ve probably heard at one time or another that laughing is good for you, and it’s true. It relaxes your whole body, boosts your immune system, releases endorphins (those “feel good” chemicals in your brain), and even protects your heart. Whew!
But science aside, the way I see it, laughing every day is simply important because it makes us feel really good. It lifts our spirits. It lightens our load. And we all need that, always, but now more than ever.
So this week, here are some ideas for adding more laugher to your days!
1) When something funny happens, soak it in.
Last week my friend and I ordered Shishito peppers and what do you know – we each ate a VERY hot pepper indeed. Hysterical laughter ensued as we recorded videos of one another’s suffering. I’m still looking back on that and laughing about it!
2) Give yourself a laughing break.
Even if you’re having a super stressful day, there is always five minutes to watch a funny video on YouTube. Have you seen the one with the sneezing baby panda?
3) Start a laughing club.
Schedule a short weekly or monthly Zoom with a few friends where the sole purpose is to share funny stories from your week. Instant joy!
For more from Janelle at Ellanyze on getting joy into your life, try these other quick reads:
