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It is easy to laugh when we feel good, but it is when the world
appears dim that we most need laughter in our lives. As children, we laugh hundreds of times
each day, delighted by the newness of living. When we reach adulthood,
however, we tend to not allow ourselves to let go in a good belly laugh.
Inviting laughter back into our lives is simply a matter of making the
conscious decision to laugh. Though most of us are incited to laugh only when
exposed to humor or the unexpected, each of us is capable of laughing at
will. A laugh that comes from the belly carries with it the same positive
effects whether prompted by a funny joke or consciously willed into
existence. When our laughter comes from the core of our being, it permeates
every cell in our physical selves, beginning in the center and radiating
outward, until we are not merely belly laughing but rather body laughing. Laughter has been a part of the human
mode of expression since before evolution granted us the art of speech.
Through it, we connected with allies while demonstrating our connection with
people we didn’t know. In the present, laughter allows us to enjoy positive
shared experiences with strangers and loved ones alike. Yet solitary laughter
carries with it its own slew of benefits. An energetic and enthusiastic bout
of whole-body laughter exercises the muscles, the lungs, and the mind in
equal measure, leaving us feeling relaxed and content. When we laugh heartily
at life’s ridiculousness instead of responding irritably, our focus shifts.
Anger, stress, guilt, and sadness no longer wield any influence over us, and
we are empowered to make light of what we originally feared. Laughter also
opens our hearts, letting love and light in, changing our perspective, and
enabling us to fix our attention on what is positive in our lives. It is easy to laugh when we feel good,
but it is when the world appears dim that we most need laughter in our lives.
Our laughter then resonates through our hearts, filling the empty spaces with
pure, unadulterated joy. We regain our footing in the moment and remember
that no sorrow is powerful enough to rob us of our inborn happiness. When we
understand that uninhibited laughter is the food of the soul, nourishing us
from within, we know instinctively that life is worthwhile. |
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