This Holiday Season, Unwrap the Gift of Living ‘Happily Ever Laughter’

By Marianne Tomlinson

It’s far more contagious than any cough, sneeze, or flu.

It brings people together and increases happiness and intimacy. It triggers healthy physical changes in your body. And maybe the most exciting part of all: it’s fun, free and available to anyone just about anywhere.

I’m talking about laughter, which studies show can strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, lessen pain, and help protect you from the damaging effects of stress.

Laughter should be an everyday staple, but it can be even more essential during the holiday season, which for some people can dredge up painful memories and bring together difficult relationships and circumstances.

Laughter can make you feel good. That good feeling that you get when you laugh remains with you even after the laughter stops. Humor helps you keep a positive outlook through the most difficult of situations, disappointments, and even loss. Laughter can also give you courage and strength to find meaning and hope.

Even in the hardest of times, a laugh – or even simply a smile – can go a long way toward making you feel better. Just hearing laughter primes your brain and readies you to smile and join in the fun.

Laughter is innate. Babies begin smiling during the first weeks of life and within a few months of being born, they laugh out loud. Even if you didn’t grow up in a home where laughter was common, you can learn to laugh at any point in your life. 

So how can you bring more laughter and humor into your life?

·         Smile more. Smiling is contagious. It is OK to laugh without experiencing a funny event. The same is true for smiling. When you look at someone or something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling.

·         Make a list of things you are grateful for. Just considering the good things in your life will combat the negative thoughts that become barriers to laughter and humor.

·         When you hear laughter, move toward it. Sometimes humor and laughter are private, but most often, it’s not. Usually, people are excited to share something funny because it gives them a chance to laugh again and they enjoy feeding off the humor you find in their story. Don’t be afraid to ask people, “What’s so funny?”

·         Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily – both at themselves and at how crazy life can be. They also tend to find humor in everyday events. Their playful points of view and laughter can be infectious.

·         Bring humor into conversations. Ask people, “What is the funniest thing that has happened to you today? This week? In your life?”

·         Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take yourself less seriously is to talk about the times when you took yourself too seriously.

·         Attempt to laugh at situations rather than complain about them. Look for the humor – it is there. Uncover the irony and absurdity of life. This will keep your mood in check and will improve the mood of those around you.

·         Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Blow bubbles when you are sitting in traffic. That will entertain you and the people around you!  Put up a funny picture or poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh.

·         Keep things in perspective. Most things in life are beyond your control – especially the behavior of other people. Taking on the weight of the world is unrealistic, unproductive, and unhealthy.

·         Deal with your stress. Stress takes away from laughter and humor.

·         Watch children play and copy them. They are experts on playing, not taking life so seriously, and laughing.

Laughter has been defined as a smile that engages the entire body. It helps us see that the ingredients for personal success and happiness are within us, not in the things changing all around us. I hope you join me in the beautiful discovery that we can live “happily ever laughter.”

Marianne Tomlinson, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, works with older adolescents, adults and couples and her specialties include anxiety, depression, relationship issues, parenting, stress, and life transitions. She is a therapist at NOVO: Renewing Joy in Life, a St. Charles clinic online at www.novocounsel.com.