Bring More Laughter Into Your Life
We all know intuitively that laughter is good for us. When we laugh we feel better. But so what – you knew that already! But knowing it and doing it are not the same thing. As children we laugh freely and fully, but as we grow up we learn rules that actually stop us from using laughter to help our well being.
Psychologists tell us that we lose 385 laughs between childhood and adulthood – as we stop playing and start the serious business of life. Where do they go? And more importantly, how do we get them back?
Much research has taken place into laughter and why it matters and many people have dedicated their careers to helping people rediscover that laughter. One of our consultants, Carol Thompson has suggested the following top 10 tips as ways to help bring more laughter back into your life.
1. Own your laughter – don’t wait for someone or something to ‘make’ you laugh. Laugh just because it feels good
2. Lower your threshold for laughing, give yourself permission to laugh at anything you need to especially on those ‘NO SENSE OF HUMOUR DAYS'!
3. Wake up in the morning with the intention to laugh long & often.
4. Look for humour around you - on signs, in peoples’ behaviour, on TV, in newspapers, funny things that people say. Keep a journal that you can look back on.
5. Laugh with other people when they laugh ( it doesn’t matter if you don’t get the joke – laugh because it feels good)
6. Exercise your smile muscles while you think happy thoughts. A smile brings you closer to laughing.
7. Seek out entertainment which makes you laugh.
8. Buy and listen daily to a tape of laughter, a laughter box or a laughing toy.
9. Wear silly hats or socks that make you laugh.
10. Be creative with fun and make sure you have fun.
(Taken from various sources including Carol Thompson, Carrie Graham and Julie Whitehead of The Laughter Network)
If you need an immediate laugh, have a look at our ‘Laughing Matters’ page for a range of cartoons, anecdotes and video clips that we have found helpful in banishing the blues.
If you need to bring some laughter into your organisation, take a look at our Comedy Capers for teambuilding days or Serious Games to help your strategic planning more creative and motivational!
If you are interested in organising a Laughter Workshop, please contact us for further information.