The gift of humor (and laughter) in, The 10 Greatest Gifts I Give My Children, by Steven Vannoy is one of my favorite chapters in his book. Vannoy unpacks nicely why humor and laughter are beautiful gifts to pass down to our children. For me, humor and laughter have saved me more times than I can count in stressful situations. Situations I had no control over and in some instances, ones I did, but I chose humor to deal with the situation because the other options 

weren’t so great. And there is always the added-on bonus of when handling life’s ups and

downs with humor and laughter, makes for some great funny stories later on (much later on, of

course…ha-ha).

 

Here’s what the Mayo Clinic folks say about laughter,” When it comes to relieving stress, more

giggles and guffaws are just what the doctor ordered. Here’s why:

Short-term benefits: A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it

doesn’t just lighten your load mentally; it actually induces physical changes in your body.

Laughter can:

-Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your

heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.

-Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your

stress response, and it can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good,

relaxed feeling.

-Soothe tension. Laughter also stimulates circulation and aids muscle relaxation, both of which

can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term benefits: Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you in the

long term.

Laughter may:

-Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest in chemical reactions that can

affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decrease your immunity. By

contrast, positive thoughts can release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially

more-serious illnesses.

-Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural

painkillers.

-Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It

also helps you to connect with other people.

-Improve your mood. Many people experience depression. Laughter can help lessen your

stress, depression, and anxiety and make you feel happier. It can also improve your self-

esteem.

 

When I was growing up, I heard from several adults, “Life is too serious to take too seriously.”

This always stuck with me, and I believe those adults were 100% right. Looking back, I do

wonder; maybe they were just being “funny”? Maybe? But all I know is I took it to heart, and

I’m sure glad I did!

Can I give you some homework? Just kidding…. Next time you’re starting to feel like things are

starting to build-up and you’re fighting to keep things “together”, take a second, and think back

to that silly knock, knock joke your 4-year-old told you that made no sense at all and have

yourself a good belly laugh.

 

Laughter is the best medicine! Don’t you think?

We will see you soon, friends!