Laugh and the World Laughs with You
By Teri Burgos-Gutierrez
“I was irrevocably betrothed to laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me
to be the most civilized music in the world.”
- Peter Ustinov
Laughter is now being studied for its medicinal effects on people. It has been observed that laughter has so many varied effects on people of all ages, status, or affiliations. It lightens up an otherwise problematic day. It brightens a melancholic feeling. It improves heart functioning. It reduces stress levels. It has the power to heal relationships and surely is great for mental outlook. Because of its many health benefits, laughter can indirectly help manage any form of pain and may hasten recovery from disease or injury. “Laughter is the best medicine” - to this very day - continues to be a well known saying.
The Global Pinch
We now live in an economically-stricken society where the global pinch is slowly but surely being felt worldwide. Newspapers, television networks, and all other forms of media have their own means to expose the difficulties and hardships people in different industries go through. As we manage to combat these difficulties, laughter can be an effective stress-reducer and antidote to all forms of upsets for it has been clinically proven to be a sure way fighting the worst of stress most specifically in work-related situations in whatever industry one is in! Experts say that a good laugh relaxes tense muscles, sends more oxygen into one’s system, and may quicker or lowers blood pressure as the need be.
Bill Crosby
So next time you feel yourself start to tense up, remember these studies and findings, step outside and take a deep breath, sing a happy song, stretch both arms, tune into your favorite comedy on television, read a funny book, call up a good friend and laugh heartily for a few good minutes. It doesn’t even hurt to just force a good laugh now and then. You'll find your stress melting away with each breath because laughter gives us an entirely different perspective on our problems. If we can perceive it in a lighter mode, then, it is no longer a threat to us. We have already discounted its effect by lightening it. With such an attitude we serve to self-protect and so control our environment. Anxiety and tension are very prevalent in most workplaces nowadays. Thus, the quote that Bill Cosby once coined serves as very timely and an important phrase, "If you can laugh at it, you can survive it."
Lol!
It's really very difficult to force a laugh while going through a stressful situation. However, that's the best time when one needs to laugh the fullest and the most. Let us bear in mind that the formula is to be in control over your environment or situation. Start by trying to elicit laughter in the worst of situations. Make yourself laugh! When you reach the point of absurdity, you can then begin to melt and calm. Then, you’ll start finding solutions to your problems! Laugh out loud! Remember another saying: “Practice makes perfect”!
The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.
--e e cummings
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