Most people with a wonderful sense of humor understand that loneliness, anxiety, depression along with comedy are related somehow. In fact, comedians tend to be the loneliest people in the world, always craving attention, and it is no wonder they find solace in performing because for a little while they feel fulfilled. And as for the audience, I would suspect they are also there because they need someone to make them laugh since they share the same feelings of loneliness and isolation. In one of this week's episodes, my guest discussed reducing our risk of chronic disease, aging well, and feeling your best, and humor from my point of view can minimize health issues by way of pumping natural endorphins into our body making you feel wonderful, and this has shown to improve overall health, thus aging well, and feeling our best. The practice of levity in life is great!
Did you know laughing at ourselves or being self-deprecating is one of the best things we can practice for our well-being? And you will find most comedians making fun of themselves and we laugh because what they say it is a relatable truth, and research is proving mental and physical wellness does comes from a real knee slapper. Laughter incontrovertibly draws you closer to others, which can have a profound effect on all aspects of mental and emotional wellness. Mutual laughter tends to bring people closer and strengthens every kind of relationship. Speaking of relationships, try the following on your spouse: An old couple had been married for more than 65 years. They both had generously shared everything with each other over the years, and they had discussed everything as a couple. They never had kept any secrets from each other, except the little old lady had a sizable shoe box on the top shelve of her closet of which she had cautioned her husband never ever to open or not even ask about it. Over the years, the little old gentleman had never given thought to the box. However, one day the little old lady became ill and knew she would not recover. In sorting out their personal affairs, the little old gentleman brought down the sizable shoe box and brought it to his wife's bedside. She conceded that it was time that he should know what was in the box. Upon opening it he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money to the tune of $98,000. He proceeded to ask his wife about the contents. "The day we were to be married," she said, "my grandmother informed me the secret of a blissful marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got upset with you I should just keep my mouth shut and crochet a doll every time we argued." The little old gentleman was touched and moved to tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with her husband only twice in all those loving years of marriage. He could hardly contain himself, bursting with heartfelt emotions. "Honey," he said, "that really explains the dolls, but what about all this money? Where did it come from?" "Oh, yes," she said. "That's the money I earned from selling the rest of the dolls." Have you ever wondered the reason why TV sitcoms utilize laugh tracks? laughter is unquestionably contagious! The truth of the matter is, we are more likely to bust out laughing in company with other people than when we are alone. And the more frequent laughter we embrace into our lives, the more of a sense of elation we and our company will feel and enjoy. Incidentally, most laughter does not come from just sharing a joke, which is only half of it, but instead from the association we relish with friends and family. And that’s social environment is what plays such a crucial role in our physical and emotional health. We must take the opportunity to genuinely engage with others. When we genuinely care about someone enough to give them your undivided attention by putting your phone aside, and interact face to face, the engagement process rebalances your nervous system, we involuntarily bring our guard down, and the stress response “fight or flight” dissipates. And if we share a belly laugh as well, both will feel happier, in a state of being content, build more positivity, and we will experience more of a sense of relaxation even if we cannot resolve a personal matter. Sharing the universal language of laughter also increases joy, energy, and sustainable resilience. And shared humor is a powerful and effective manner to cure resentments, discord, and hurts feelings, and Laughter unites us especially during challenging times. Humor and lighthearted communication solidify our relationships by prompting jovial feelings and fostering emotional kinships. When we double up in laughter, with one another, a bond of goodwill is created and maintained. This bond acts as a solid bulwark against anxiety, disagreements, and dismay. Humor and laughter in interrelationships allow us to be natural, to be ourselves without any facade. We become more spontaneous, levity gets us out of our mental trap and provides relief from our personal struggles. We forget resentments, judgments, condemnation, and feelings of doubts. Our comical side is cathartic, it expresses our true emotions, yes, deeply felt emotions are allowed to surface . Why not use humor to resolve differences of opinion and contention in all our valued relationships? Whether with a spouse to be, close friends and immediate family, or workmates, all of us can learn to use humor to pave over differences, reduce everyone's stress level, and it lend itself to an interchange of mutual concerns in a manner that is constructive, rather than tearing down much needed relationships. Speaking of being concerned with one another, enjoy the following. “What's for supper this evening?” An elderly fellow named Bill concluded his wife, Martha, was getting hard of hearing. So, he contacted the local audiologist to make an appointment for his wife. The office receptionist indicated they did not have any openings for the next three weeks. However, the receptionist suggested a simple informal test Bill could do at home, giving him an idea of his wife's situation to determine how serious it might be. The receptionist said, “Here’s is what you need to do: When you are about 20 feet away from your wife, speak to her in a normal conversational tone of voice, and wait if she can hear you. If not, get fifteen feet closer, then ten feet closer, then five feet and closer yet until your wife answers you.” So that evening while Martha was cooking supper, Bill is in the front room and decides to give the hearing test a try. “Sweetheart, what’s for supper this evening?” No response. He gets a little closer to the kitchen , “sweetheart, what’s for supper this evening?” Again, no response. Bill goes to the kitchen door and again repeats, “Sweetheart, what’s for dinner this evening?” Again, no answer. So, he walks into the kitchen area and repeats the same question. Still, no answer. Finally, Bill walks up behind Martha and asks again, “Sweetheart, what’s for dinner this evening?” “For the 5th time, pot roast!” How do you bring more laughter into your life? You might say that laughter is your birthright, it is a natural reaction, and a smile is a precursor to laughter. After all, infants begin smiling early on in their life, and they beam with laughter within a few months. Even if you grew up in a stoic household, you could learn to laugh at any point in life. Grinning is the inception of laughter, and like laughter, it’s contagious . When you are in a public place, and you hear someone trying to say something but cannot because of their uncontrollable laugh, I would venture to say it makes you laugh as well. Why not greet everyone with a smile such as to passerby’s, a grateful smile at the person serving you a hot cup of joe,, or your workmates, the opportunities are endless. When you hear people busting a gut in laughter, gravitate to it, . A shared funny story among friends or a small group is usually not too private, often, people are delighted to share something amusing because it provides the amateur comedian with the opportunity to feed off the humor you find in it. Every comedian loves the audience! Seek out playful people because they laugh easily at themselves and at the absurdities that we experience in our daily lives. They routinely acknowledge the humor in everyday events. Their playful perspective is contagious, even if you are not a lighthearted, humorous person, you can yet find these folks who like to enjoy themselves in frivolity and who get a kick in seeing others enjoy themselves as well. Today, ask someone, “What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you? Maybe, you really cannot find something silly to relate, but unbelievably, it is quite possible to laugh without having experienced a humorous event and simulated laughter can be what the doctor prescribed. Simply, begin to simulate laughter and lo and behold you will start laughing genuinely for no apparent reason and never mind the puzzled looks you will receive. And if you can incorporate stimulated laughter into an exercise routine, then you really will have your own built-in cheer leader to spur you on to optimum health. Please take to heart that we do not stop laughing because we get old, but we get old because we stop laughing!
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