Laughter

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." e.e.cummings

I was reading some material last week about the effects of laughter on our health. We all know how good it feels to laugh and the more humor we have in a day, the better we feel. No matter what the stressful circumstance or situation, if we can introduce some humor, it always lightens the stress. Laughing comes naturally to us; we were born to be joyful and have fun. Small children laugh on average around 400 times a day! Unfortunately, as we move into adulthood responsibility grows and laughter diminishes. Adults average only 20 laughs per day. What a tremendous change!

When's the last time you had a really good belly laugh? Being with family or friends always leads to laughter for me. I love to spend an evening with good friends sharing stories with lots of humor. Sometimes we laugh at ourselves - which seems to happen more often as we get older! Other times we laugh at something on TV or something we read or maybe something that happened during the past week. It doesn't seem to matter. Once the laughter starts, it goes on for hours and the evening just flies by. It is fun to see how relaxed everyone becomes. You can visibly see any tension in the body dissipate. After a good laugh, your blood pressure drops, muscles relax, and your heart rate and breathing slow down. Ah...doesn't this sound soothing? What would your laughter meter show right now? Are you doing better or worse than the average? Close your eyes and think about something or someone that makes you laugh. What happens to your body when you bring up this image? Wouldn't you like to feel this way most of the time?

A good friend of mine just called as I was writing this article. In the process of catching up, she shared a funny story about herself. As she was hurridly applying her makeup to go to a wedding she accidently got her mascara brush stuck in her bangs! The pictures she painted about attempting to wash the mascara out of her bangs without getting the rest of her hair wet was hilarious! We had a good laugh over it and I was still smiling when I hung up the phone.

Pay attention to what makes you laugh and how often you laugh over the next several days. Bring more laughter back into your life by sharing funny stories with your friends and family - everyone benefits!

Who do you know that needs a good laugh right now? What could you do to bring some lightness and laughter to this person? Maybe call and share a funny story or incident? Rent a comedy and watch it with them? Buy them a humorous gift or card? Whatever surprise you come up with, it will be perfect and, when they laugh at what you did, so will you!

As a Life Transition Coach I work with clients to identify what's most important to them and prioritize around these values. I help my clients identify and remove obstacles in the way and bring clarity and focus to their dreams. What is your dream? Are you undergoing a major transition and not clear where to turn? Call (972-306-4489) or email me, (coach.v.miller@verizon.net), to set up a complimentary, no obligation 30 minute coaching session. Download my FREE e-Book, 12 Fun Ways to Change Your Life, or sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter at http://www.thrivingthroughchange.com

MORE RESOURCES:

Separate happiness from want - Economic Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.southernledger.com/ap/181819/Leighs_HappyGoLucky_could_extend_Oscar_touchcid=1255283952ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNE395-Pxo4x-btmhSpaKN06rEQvkQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=oeKbbsUCqwoJimgurl=www.southernledger.com/images_ap/a6b0e9f3-0ae0-46da-b595-5f54b4657110-a6b0e9f3-0ae0-46da-b595-5f54b4657110.jpg width=80 height=50 alt= border=1brfont size=-2The Southern Ledger/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Cosmic_Uplink/Separate_happiness_from_want/articleshow/3571184.cmscid=1255283952ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNE2xd7Wxu8f-vL6E-VSSJzdUT5G8QSeparate bhappiness/b from want/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEconomic Times,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1bHappiness/b also tends to be a fleeting state of mind for a similar reason, explains Daniel Nettle in ‘bHappiness/b: the science behind your smile’, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-10-07-leigh-happy-go-lucky_N.htmcid=1255283952ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNEb5JbZL50eVYyD-CanpBAk8xAknQFor director Mike Leigh, it#39;s not all happy, or lucky/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrUSA Today/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-2fd=Rurl=http://www.indiewire.com/people/2008/10/indiewire_inter_191.htmlcid=1255283952ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNFR07j3NGBEbLlueNQgS58BXMY4YQindieWIRE INTERVIEW | quot;Happy-Go-Luckyquot; Director Mike Leigh/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrIndie Wire/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255283952hl=ennobrall 96 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Prosperity may not be happiness key - NEWS.com.au

Midnight Happiness - WMBB-TV

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/midnight_happiness/mbb7710759/cid=1255229701ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNF7edyYNnHFef3RKdKgfRSbuHiBzwMidnight bHappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWMBB-TV,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b in the November 4th, the Bay County Supervisor of Elections office stayed open until midnight on Monday hosting what they called Midnight bHappiness/b. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-1fd=Rurl=http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/30492799.htmlcid=1255229701ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNHA6mSLLoLCB7AufLt-iP5MQxm23wMidnight bHappiness/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWJHG-TV/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-2fd=Rurl=http://www.newsherald.com/news/hundreds_68653___article.html/bay_lynn.htmlcid=1255229701ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNFVNihWU7Ls2jbesUZywnIG_Ln6GgHundreds of Bay voters play beat the clock at registration drive/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe News Herald/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-3fd=Rurl=http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/voter_registration_deadline_monday_night/mbb7710732/cid=1255229701ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNEAn8495c_Oa1LscNwwwd7Tuu7aVgVoter Registration Deadline Monday Night/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWMBB-TV/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-4fd=Rurl=http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/30463834.htmlcid=1255229701ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNGwwFGJz2-m0-zbDHdDsDw6F7cMhwnobrWJHG-TV/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255229701hl=ennobrall 5 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

COLUMN: Planning and preparation is the key to happiness - Michigan Journal (subscription)

Life, liberty amp; pursuit of happiness - YourHub.com

Cupping it hot and sweet for health and happiness - Shanghai Daily

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/%3Fid%3D375792%26type%3DFeaturecid=0ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNFFyYyTLUtyUiJlINWm9wa9y07XYwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=UykNu7XQnyUJimgurl=www.shanghaidaily.com/NewsImage/2008/2008-10/2008-10-07/20081007_375792_01.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Shanghai Daily/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/%3Fid%3D375792%26type%3DFeaturecid=0ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNFFyYyTLUtyUiJlINWm9wa9y07XYwCupping it hot and sweet for health and bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fShanghai Daily,nbsp;Chinanbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Zhang Qian | 2008-10-7 | NEWSPAPER EDITION THIS won#39;t hurt, much. This is just a love bruise from a session of TCM quot;fire cuppingquot; and it will help drive b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Shanghai seniors #39;generally#39; happy: Survey - China Daily

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-10/08/content_7086350.htmcid=1255299023ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNHpWRAUZmK6tOpOCWwpsvaVxIxmawimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=hnezEMaubzEJimgurl=www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/images/attachement/jpg/site1/20081008/0013729e4abe0a56452701.jpg width=80 height=54 alt= border=1brfont size=-2China Daily/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-10/08/content_7086350.htmcid=1255299023ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNHpWRAUZmK6tOpOCWwpsvaVxIxmawShanghai seniors #39;generally#39; happy: Survey/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fChina Daily,nbsp;Chinanbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The survey, conducted last month, found that the general quot;bhappiness/b indexquot; among Shanghai seniors was 77.17, a relatively high figure according to b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-1fd=Rurl=http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/%3Fid%3D375875%26type%3DMetrocid=1255299023ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNF1CGKiX8wNLzK05R8VmWWYGM5mBgSeniors say it#39;s OK being gray/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrShanghai Daily/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255299023hl=ennobrall 3 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Why money can#39;t necessarily buy happiness... - Sify

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7i-0fd=Rurl=http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php%3Fid%3D14771032cid=1254667348ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNE3IhficmikdtnATGmTXlPQd8PwAgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=9P8wI4exM6AJimgurl=im.sify.com/sifycmsimg/sep2008/Finance/14767585_rupee_currency_news.jpg width=80 height=52 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Sify/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php%3Fid%3D14771032cid=1254667348ei=8iXsSM6bCJnK8ASmyqH6CAusg=AFQjCNE3IhficmikdtnATGmTXlPQd8PwAgWhy money can#39;t necessarily buy bhappiness/b.../abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSify,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobrOct 5, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The bottom-line is that money can#39;t buy you bhappiness/b. That is something we probably knew all along. What is more interesting is why money can#39;t buy b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Childrens#39; happiness and health are hit by inequality - Irish Independent

Call for Happiness: Website Seeks Images of Joy - PR.com (press release)

Happiness - Google News

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