Not sure about you, but growing up and even these days, I hear ‘laughter is the best medicine’. Maybe that is why it is so important to me to spread the #HappinessMatters movement.
If you read my book, Happiness Matters ~ Unleash Your Superpower in 7 Easy Steps, you know that my upbringing was anything but a laughing matter. Yet, despite everything, I always found a way to make others smile, laugh, and feel better about themselves. Maybe that is was helped me keep going through it all. Seeing others feel better and smile, made me feel a little better, too.
When I was in college, I wrote a paper ‘Optimism and the Effects on Human Well-Being’. Guess even back then I knew the importance of optimism and laughter. The older I got and the more I learned, the more that knowledge and belief was cemented into my being.
It is my positive mindset and my ability to laugh, even at myself, that has helped me though the many ups and downs in my life. Over the past few years, it definitely has helped me cope with all the health issues that presented themselves. Actually, many times, it is my mindset that helps me keep moving forward.
Over the years, I have learned there is always a bright side. At times, I must dig very deep to find it, but I know it is there. When things seem extremely bleak, I simply laugh. Sometimes, I laugh through the tears and pain because there is really nothing else to do.
What I have learned doing this is, that for one, it takes my focus off the misery at hand. We all know that what we think about, we bring about (I talk about this all the time). By shifting my focus off the pain and agony at hand, simply by laughing, I actually gain the strength to keep pushing forward. Some days it is easier than others, but I still keep moving forward.
Sometimes, I laugh so hard about being so silly and giving all my energy and power to the pain and suffering. In that moment, I get the greatest insights on what to do next and how best to move forward. Past the pain, past the suffering, past the negative thoughts, and past all that what was holding me hostage.
Of course, that is when the real work begins. That is when I start asking myself questions like ‘why do I feel this way?’, ‘what brough this on?’, ‘what is the underlying issue?’, and my most favorite question… ‘what is the lesson I need to learn?’.
Funny thing with those questions… We ALWAYS get an answer! Whether we like the answer or not is not the point, but we get the answer we need in order to move forward. Sometimes, the answers leave me completely dumbfounded and create even more questions. That’s a topic for another time….
Sometimes, I feel so locked, at the end of the road with no apparent solutions, and the fear creeping in. What do I do? Yup, you guessed it… I LAUGH!
When we laugh or smile, fear loses its power! It interrupts the pattern we have put ourselves in. Pattern Interrupts, they are called. Laughter, in my opinion, is one of the best ones! Not talking about the fake laugh, although it is a good starting point. I am talking about the deep-down belly laugh!
According to an article released by the Mayo Clinic, here are some of the physical short- and long-term benefits of laughter:
Short Term:
- Stimulate many organs
- Activate and relieve your stress response
- Soothe tension
Long Term:
- Improve your immune system
- Relieve pain
- Increase personal satisfaction
- Improve your mood
However, don’t take my word for it. Try it out! Pay attention to your emotions, your body’s responses, and your overall demeanor.
Looking forward to hearing how things are improving for you.
Leave us a comment or send us a message. We’d love to hear from you!
~ Do you have a story that can inspire, motivate, or encourage others and give them hope? Or a story that made you laugh? We want to hear it and include it in our book series. Learn more here
~ Interested in more but don’t want to be locked into a long-term coaching contract? Book a session
~ Join our #HappinessMatters movement