Humor and laughter are not only fun–they also enhance:
| Mood | Immune functioning |
| Learning | Muscular relaxation |
| Creativity | Circulation |
| Intimacy | Respiration |
| Confidence | Pain control |
In other words, laughter is the best medicine!
10 tips on moving through life at 60 smiles per hour:
- Keep a “humor journal” or scrapbook: every day, write down something funny that you heard, saw, said, or did–it could be real-life or fictional. You can also collect funny comics or pictures. Re-read your journal when you need a boost.
- Post funny quotations or cartoons on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, your notebook or locker, bulletin boards…
- Videotape your favorite comedies and watch them with friends. Find audiotapes of comedy routines to listen to while doing household chores.
- Establish a joke exchange with a friend: write down any good jokes you hear, and swap jokes each time you talk.
- Let others know which personal qualities you are willing to be teased about, and which are off limits.
- Go to the humor section of a bookstore, or ask your librarian to recommend some humor writers. Browse, borrow, or buy.
- Practice funny expressions, accents, or characters. Find a “trademark” that fits your personality.
- Carry photos of yourself when you were younger; show them to others and enjoy a laugh together. Take snapshots of yourself (or others) acting silly, and look at them often to bring out your lighter side.
- Do you find yourself complaining to others about what a terrible day/week/month/life you’ve had? Take those complaints and work on exaggerating them to the point of absurdity.
- Stuck on an embarrassing mistake you made? Tell it to others, but try to find a humorous side to it. How important will it seem a year from now?