Tickle Your Funny Bone
Practicing humor can lift tension, reduce stress, diffuse
confrontation, improve communication, and enhance your
relationship with others in any group. It can also increase
productivity, learning ability, cooperation, teamwork, and
profits while energizing you and others. Wow! Why wouldn't we
want to incorporate even more of this no-cost action into our
daily life? Here's more benefits:
Humor is the shock absorber that eases the bumps in life and
laughter is a vaccine for the ills of the world. Laughter
increases your adrenaline which leads to a release of enthusiasm
and optimism. Aerobic breathing comes from laughter - your
endorphins are super-charged.
Humor is associated with youth, vigor, intelligence and being
"with it." The broad smile and light remark are welcome guests
at any gathering. It says: I want to be friends. Humor enhances
an image, motivates, and helps create a relaxed reality.
Expressing your sense of humor can be as simple as encouraging
and responding to the merriment of those around you - even with
just a smile. You don't have to be a joke teller. Think about
words or images that bring a grin to your face. Here's a start:
* supercalifragilisticexpealodocious (I think I got it right -
help Mary Poppins!) * upsy daisy day (thanks to Stephanie West
Allen who publishes an e-zine with this name) * Snoopy (Charlie
Brown's dog) dancing for the pure joy of it * a child
discovering something new (I remember my niece's first fun
encounter playing in the sand) * the antics of Red Skelton,
Carol Burnett, Bill Cosby, Lucille Ball, Robin Williams, Jim
Carey
Have you given much thought to what makes you smile, giggle or
burst out into a loud and refreshing belly laugh? What
situations were you in or who are you with when you feel the
most at ease to let your sense of humor come out and play? What
are the circumstances when your senses are full of the magic of
outright pleasure, entertainment and enjoyment?
Here's a real easy idea - share cartoon and funny stories with
your friends, co-workers and family. I recently sent a cartoon
to a lady whose theme is to live with passion and gratitude -
she was delighted that I thought of her and responded directly
to her gardening interest. I took pleasure in knowing that I'd
made her grin too. Many of you probably receive and forward some
delightful tales and absurdities that you find on the Internet
or in magazines. Last week I *snail mailed* a piece about
ludicrous lawsuits and the cost of a child to some friends to
give them a little lift to their day. Not only did they enjoy
the silliness but they were also happy to get something other
than bills and junk mail to open!
I've read that benefits are gained from smiling at a minimum of
five people a day. If you are working alone or really can't find
a good reason to smile at your co-workers or family that day -
then find another way to make sure you bring a smile to
yourself. Read some jokes in a book or on a humor site or
e-zine. Watch a favorite TV show or rent a movie that you know
will make you feel good. Another method is to look for five
funny or absurd things a day - this keeps your mind thinking in
the direction of being less serious.
Here's some great statements and thoughts to keep in mind. *
Take time to laugh, it is music to the soul. * Every survival
kit should include a sense of humor. * A smile adds a great deal
to your face value. * He who laughs, lasts. * Laughter is
contagious...start an epidemic. * Put on candid camera glasses
every day. * Find your own "mirth angel". * Recharge your
batteries and put more joy in your life.
Even Sigmund Freud, the famous psychiatrist, was a proponent of
humor. His basic concept was that joking relieves repressed
impulses and anxieties, and that laughter converts unpleasant
feelings to pleasant ones.
Gene Perret, who wrote extensively for Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller,
Carol Burnett and many others, said "Humor is not a condiment;
it a main course. It's not a trinket; it's a gem. It doesn't
need justification; it's essential".
Have you ever heard of PHUFS. It's an acronym for five points
outlined in the book, Laughter and Liberation, by Dr. Harvey
Mindess. Here's a brief recap. * Playfulness allows you to be
lessen the grip that having too much seriousness can have on you
(such as narrowing your perspective). Instead know that it's
okay to let go of your normal routines now and again to be
whimsical and imaginative. * Humility is being humble in mind or
spirit. However, recognize that there's no need to make things
look or sound more difficult than they are - look for the crazy
or absurd side to balance out the serious side.
* Unconventionality lets you be less ordinary and more original
in thought and deed. You are willing to accept unexpected
occurrences as a bonus for they can heighten your awareness
level when you allow them to enter your base of experiences. *
Flexibility reduces the stiffness or rigidity in thinking
patterns which helps you adjust more easily to change. You want
to ask the questions of who, what, when, why, where, when, and
how so that you don't fall into the trap of accepting and taking
things for granted.. * Spontaneity supports the idea of
expressing your natural feelings and impulses without giving
into the restraints you might otherwise pay heed to. A mind leap
that brings about a connection between what is and what could be
might even occur.
All in all, mirthfulness can have a very positive effect on your
mind and body. It's difficult to remain angry, hurt, frustrated
or depressed when exposed to something that tickles your funny
bone. When you are having a good time you feel more hopeful,
excited and vigorous. Your attitude affects your body and vice
versa. Humor can help you attain a more positive balance
psychologically and physiologically. Encourage laughter in your
life and reap the benefits.
How healthy it is to set the child within us free to giggle,
sing, or dance a silly jig. Let this article be a reminder of
how important it is to break free of convention from time to
time and let loose your normal grown-up restrictions about
playfulness. Abandon your inhibitions for more than a moment or
two. Revel in it. A healthy personality has a measure of
unpredictability. Daily living ought to be spiced with
playfulness as it makes everything you think and do a bit more
delicious. Go ahead - smile right now (it does keep others
guessing what you're thinking about!).