The Meaning of "Laughter: The Best Medicine"
They say laughter is the best medicine, but why does this saying persist? Because it's true. Because even though tears are necessary for some healing, laughter is what helps real growth take root. Laughter affects our minds and hearts, and these both affect our bodies.
Mentally, laughter improves our thinking patterns. It frees us to appreciate the little moments in life, and helps us to focus on solutions rather than problems.
Emotionally, laughter frees us from burden, bit by small bit. Instead of only feeling good when good things happen, laughter helps happiness become our default. It strengthens our relationships with ourselves, and with others.
Physically, laughter reduces tension (which helps us relax and sleep better) and charges our immune systems (which helps us resist disease). It helps us find the joy and hope required to heal and increases daily health.
How To Find More Laughter In Your Life
Laughter is the best medicine, and it's also a cycle. People who are happy in life laugh more, and conversely, those who laugh become happier! It's a wonderful cycle; you just need to set it in motion. By learning to laugh-to laugh a lot or even a little more than you do-you can live a fuller, healthier life. Here are three simple steps you can take to get there.
1. The Journey Of Laughter And Health Begins With Smile
A smile is the first step to laughter. Yes smiles are small, but they have the tendency to grow and grow. Make an effort to smile more throughout your day. If you're feeling in a down mood, force yourself to smile as you walk around rather than frowning or looking glum. You'll be amazed at how it 'soaks in' so to speak. You'll find that as you look at the world outside of you with a pleasant look on your face, you'll start looking inside yourself more positively, too. Your whole mood will slowly improve. Keep it up and you'll be laughing soon enough!
2. Laughter Is The Best Medicine, And Medicine Doesn't Come TO You
If you need more laughter, seek it out, both in people and in activities. Spend time with people you care about and who make you happy, and with people who laugh and make others laugh. Do things laugh with others and watch how your laughter rubs off on each other.
Take note of the things that make you laugh (or at least smile for starters) and incorporate them into your day. This may be intentionally funny things (like comedy films or joke books) or just silly things (like funny pictures of animals or trying on ugly hats at the mall). No smile is too small, so seek them out and help them grow!
3. Lighten Up: Focus On The Positive
Laughter and health are connected because laughter lets us increase the positive feelings, which forces negative feelings to get smaller. You cannot feel angry, disheartened, anxious, guilty, or resentful yet feel humor at the same time!
One of the best ways to help increase laughter (and to help its magic medicine work) is to get away from the thoughts that prevent laughter. Write down things you are grateful for, take steps to alleviate stress, take care of your mind and your body, and do things that make you feel good about yourself and your skills.
Make room for laughter, and health (mental, emotional, and even physical) will have room to thrive. And of course, the healthier you are, the more you will laugh. You'll truly see why laughter is the best medicine, and you'll want to spread the laughter to others.
