Are you tired? stressed? tense? crabby? Every Boomer ought to remind themselves that laughter is the best medicine.
I read that adults laugh on average about five times every day. But kids laugh more than 300 times every day. When trying to verify this statistic I discovered the number varies considerably depending on the source. But regardless of the exact numbers, it’s true: kids laugh way more than you and I!
Some of the most popular YouTube videos show kids laughing. Do a simple search and see for yourself. There are many videos of laughing kids with millions of views. Here’s an example of a baby laughing at the sound of paper which was watched more than 85 million times:
Out of curiosity, I searched to see how many YouTube videos existed of laughing adults with over a million views. What a difference. I found only one and it is hot this week. In case you’ve been living under a rock, here’s the only video I found on YouTube of a laughing adult with more than one million views:
I’ve observed that as the years go by, adults forget how to laugh. Everything became so serious. Bills needed paid. Kids got into trouble. We had to navigate through rough waters at work. I’m wondering if adults laugh even five times a day?
But forgetting how to laugh is not a good thing. If laughter is the best medicine then we have stopped taking our medicine. It’s time to fix that.
I found this informative infographic from happify.com which summarizes almost everything which needs to be said on the subject of laughter is the best medicine. Take a look at it. Be sure to not miss my hands on “how to” take your medicine immediately following it.
Not many people will disagree that laughter is the best medicine. The problem with many articles on this subject is that they don’t give many ideas on how to take that medicine. Several “how to”examples are found above but let me give a few additional ones.
Here’s a few suggestions on how to take your medicine:
1. Make laughter the best medicine by watching a TV comedy before going to sleep.
My wife and I have a TV in the bedroom. Every night, before drifting off to sleep, we watch an episode of a 30 minute comedy. So far we have watched every episode of Everyone Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, Parks and Recreation, and now 3rd Rock from the Sun. There’s something therapuetic about going to sleep with closing the day out with laughter. Laughter is the best medicine.
2. Make laughter the best medicine by surrounding yourself with people who laugh.
Nothing can make me laugh like getting with close friends. We know each well and know what to say to make the laughter start. Take time to get together with friend. Be intentional about having funny friends in your life. Laughter is the best medicine.
3. Make laughter the best medicine by developing the habit of smiling at yourself in the mirror.
I know, this is a strange idea. But you look at yourself more than you realize every day in the mirror. One of the first things I do when I get up is to stagger into the bathroom and look in the mirror. Throughout the day I glance at myself in the mirror. Learn to use the peeking into the mirror moments as a cue to smile back at yourself. It will prepare you for laughter throughout the day. Laughter is the best medicine.
4. Make laughter the medicine by distancing yourself from watching and reading the news.
Stay informed but don’t allow the news to rob you of joy. Becoming immersed in the news can drag you right down into the sewer of despair. If you get too much bad news in your system it will be impossible to laugh. I had a friend who watched Fox News all the time and it nearly ruined them. Too much bad news isn’t good. Laughter is the best medicine.
5. Make laughter the best medicine by making a commitment to smile more.
The distance between a frown and laughter isn’t nearly as great as the distance between a smile and laughter. Practice smiling. Try to become aware of what you face is communicating throughout the day. Make yourself smile. And if you get into the habit of smiling, then laughter isn’t far away. Laughter is the best medicine.
Laughing is the best medicine. It gives you energy and makes every day better. Getting energy is part of the ReFIRE process. This chapter of life can be the very best!