Laugh Every Day

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Submitted by sarajean on 10/4/09 8:51am
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If there’s something that everyone should definitely have listed on their Living To-Do List, it’s laugh every day. Not only is laughing plain fun, it also comes with a host of other benefits. It turns out that Patch Adams was really onto something. Laughter…

  • Reduces stress
  • Strengthens the immune system
  • Increases the threshold for pain
  • Reduces food cravings
  • Provides relaxation
  • Exercises the belly and heart
  • Dissipates guilt and anger
  • Provides a social connection with others
  • Provides a physical release

…all for free! Who couldn’t use more laughter in their lives? To specifically add more laughs to your life, try one of these ideas—or post your own.

  • Adopt a comedian. Pick one that you might like—or even choose one randomly—and rent every film or standup show that he or she has recorded. Some ideas might include Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Mike Meyers, Margaret Cho, George Carlin, Ellen DeGeneres, Louis C.K, and Ricky Gervais.
  • Share comics. My husband’s always on the lookout for good comic strips that I will like, and he brings them home to me often. Once I even made a wallet out of a comic strip that I liked, and now every time I open my purse I see it.
  • Get laughter in your email. Sign up for a daily joke, comic strip, or newsletter from your favorite comedy website or comedian. Simply look up “daily email joke” and you’ll get dozens of hits, allowing you to choose from the types of humor you prefer.
  • Visit funny websites. Be wary of these, as some may not have content appropriate for younger viewers: FunnyorDie.com, TheOnion.com, Cracked.com, Jibjab.com and CollegeHumor.com.
  • Start a Joke Exchange. Have everyone in the office come prepared with a fresh joke on a given day of the week—say Monday mornings—and take the opportunity to laugh together over a coffee break or lunch.
  • Search for funny YouTube videos. Maybe you like “cats who can talk,” or the McDonald’s Filet-o’-Fish Commercial.
  • Tickle your family. And have them tickle you. It’s a free, easy laugh—why not do it?
  • Laugh for the heck of it. Just start laughing. Smile really big until you feel a chuckle, and allow the chuckle to just keep going until you’re laughing on the floor clutching your sides. Research shows that it works!