Live A Little…laugh!

A few weeks ago my better half, Dan, came home and was in an upbeat mood and chiming “Hee Hee Hee Hee, Ha Ha Ha Ha, Ho Ho Ho Ho”.  The kids and I ended up joining in at some point, and this activity created a lot of fun and joy for us all to engage in. 

He had been to his weekly Optimist Meeting, and they had a guest speaker as they usually do each month – Dr. Amodio – who taught Laughter Yoga.  Thank you for filling our home with another skill to use when we fall too serious to life on life’s terms, Dr. Amodio! 

Dan described the activity they engaged in, all pretending to be on their cell phones and having a conversation with someone on the other end walking in a circle around the room chiming “Hee Hee Hee Hee, Ha Ha Ha Ha, Ho Ho Ho Ho” – embellishing the facial expression of each sound.  He really enjoyed it and was glad to share what he had learned! 

Laughter is called the “new meditation” in a recent Time magazine article.  Laughter has many health, emotional/mental and physical benefits.  A recent study that was conducted under the direction of Gurinder Singh at the University of Loma Linda in California found that laughter activates brainwaves similar to those associated with meditation. Through this study, it was found that the state of true meditation can improve and reduce the effects of stress we encounter in daily life. 

Time Health indicated studies that have shown laughter to act as an antidepressant, reduce the risk of heart disease and help reduce the body’s inflammatory response.  Sounds exactly what the doctor might order!

If you think about it, laughter is pretty easy to come by. How many of the opportunities right in front of us are we really taking advantage of and enjoying?  Here is a list of some ways to use and apply laughter; see if you might be inspired to add to the list:

• Engage and play with your pet. Animals can meditate us with laughter and are usually loyally waiting if we let them! 
• Follow a comic strip daily; better yet, picture that character when you make a mistake in an effort to not take yourself so seriously!  Mine is “Blondie!” 
• Come up with a “Joke of the day” theme in your home! 
• There are some great apps to download on your phone that can provide funny motivation and daily chuckles of inspiration and funny pictures – parent-approved, of course!  
• If you are one to go for a drama or suspense movie, treat yourself to a great comedy that can help compete with the emotion.
• We all have that great friend who can bring us up when we are down or who can remind us to not take “it” or life too seriously. Pick up the phone and give them a call; it will brighten and lighten both ends of the conversation! 
• Parents…play with your kids!   Kids….play with your parents!
• Karaoke!  We enjoyed this on a recent family vacation, and it taps into the fun and creative sides of everyone involved.

Hopefully, this short list has gotten your wheels turning and inspired ways you can find to plant more laughter in your individual and family lives!  Have fun with it and remember…practice makes permanent! 

Sommers provides Youth First Social Work services at Annunciation Parish’s Holy Spirit and Christ the King campuses in Evansville, and at St. John the Baptist School in Newburgh.