Week 5 - Stress Management: "Imagine Laughter"

Listen to CD #4 Stress Solutions

Welcome to our discussion on stress. Let’s talk about stress and the power of humor!!! 

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
-- E.E. Cummings

Humor is defined in Webster’s New World dictionary as “the ability to appreciate or express what is funny, amusing.” 

Joy is defined in Webster’s New World dictionary as “a very glad feeling, happiness delight”, and “anything causing this.” 

Pleasure is defined in Webster’s New World dictionary as “a thing that gives delight or satisfaction.” 

So let me ask you now, what do you want more of in your life, joy laughter, pleasure or sadness, pain and suffering? 

"Nobody trips over mountains.  It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble.  Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain." --Author Unknown 

Silly question, but really think about it.

Do your choices bring you more of what you want or more of what you don’t want? 

Would you rather be right or happy? Stressed out or relaxed? 

When we can see the humor in a situation, we are able to experience joy, even in the face of adversity.  When we laugh and are open to noticing humor, life is not only more enjoyable but there are real health benefits!   

Most of you have heard of Norman Cousins who spent many years exploring and researching the benefits of humor. Cousins called attention to the potential therapeutic effects of humor and laughter in 1979 when he described his use of laughter during his treatment for ankylosing spondylitis. Cousins believed that negative emotions had a negative impact on his health, he theorized that the opposite was also true, that positive emotions would have a positive effect. He believed that the experience of laughter could open him to feelings of joy, hope, confidence and love.

We know that stress has been shown to create unhealthy physiological changes. The connection between stress and high blood pressure, muscle tension, immuno-suppression, and many other changes is well known. We now know that laughter has the opposite effect on the body! It appears to be the perfect antidote for stress (right next to exercise of course).

Studies conducted at the Loma Linda School of Medicine’s Dept of Clinical Immunology by Lee Berk and Stanley Tan revealed that laughter lowers serum cortisol levels, increases the amount of activated T lymphocytes, increases the number and activity of natural killer cells, and increases the number of T cells that have helper/ suppresser receptors. In short, laughter stimulates the immune system, off-setting the immunosuppressive effects of stress.  Berk's research demonstrates that laughter can lower cortisol levels and thereby protect our immune system.  

I don’t think we need to review the research to choose happiness, laughter and joy, do we? 

So, are you willing to look at the humorous aspects of your troubles? Do you want to know how? I realize this sounds simplistic, but begin by just asking for more humor!  “Ask” to be able to see things in a different light, from a higher, more humorous perspective. 

What is the funniest thing you ever saw? What is the funniest movie the funniest joke? What kind of humor do you like? How do you feel when you play a funny scene over and over?

Did you see the Dennis The Menace movie when George ate the hamburger that tasted like paint and wood? It was so funny!!!!

"I've never had so much fun as I'm going to have tomorrow!"
-- Dennis the Menace 

When we regularly laugh at ourselves, then we have discovered a powerful tool that can help us gain a higher perspective and let go of unnecessary  suffering. 

Often it’s the little annoyances that tend to cause chronic stress.

Laughter can dispel the tension and help us to see situations in a different light. At the moment we laugh we cannot feel angry or hopeless. Try it and tell me if that’s true. 

Even a smile can change the way you feel and will relax tension in your facial muscles… Remember “smile inwardly with your eyes and your mouth”. 

"The best things in life are silly."
-- Scott Adams, Dilbert 

So why not spread some joy starting within yourself?  You do make a difference to every person you contact!  

"The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality."  -- John Quincy Adams

I wish you the best of everything.  May you be blessed with peace, joy, health, laughter, and mostly love.