By: Rick London
Is humor mandatory in our lives? How important is it to laugh now and again? For many years, we knew humor was fun, and laughter made us feel better, but we didn't know the full story. Recent studies at University Of Md. Medical School point towards laughter being not just important, but pertinent to our health, job, relationships. Like jogging or walking, laughter produces very similar endorphins that help preserve our immune system. More research shows that it even may help in the brain functioning better.
More importantly humor and laughter helps facilitate stress reduction naturally. It is easy in today's world to feel overwhelmed and take life too seriously. If that is their coping mechanism, that is fine, but it should not be for you or me. Too much stress can actually kill us prematurely. With laughter being that important, it should be a basic in our everyday lives.
Laughter can mend fences, bring folks closer together and form bonds. Nobody is perfect. Even if we wish them to be. Not our kids, our parents, our co-workers, or even ourselves (as hard as that one might be to believe). But simply striving to do one's best, and taking a more lighthearted humorous approach to life, can help build new dimensions and a higher quality of life.
So what is so funny and where is it? Various medias provide a plethora of humor. You can rent movies in the comedy section of your neighborhood video store. You can go to large offbeat cartoon and/or joke websites. You can also share laughter by giving the "gift of laughter".
Buy a friend of family member a funny cartoon tee, gift or collectible from an Internet store. There are lots of places to find them. Most of them are under twenty bucks; some funny novelty gifts are as low as $5 and even less for greeting cards. You might be surprised at the reaction to these types of gifts. Oddly enough, you are "passing it forward", showing friends and loved ones that you enjoy humor and maybe they should explore it as well, and want to share it. |
