Laughter and love...
working together for a healthier life
“Your body cannot heal without play. Your mind cannot heal without laughter. Your soul cannot heal without joy.” – Catherine Rippenger Fenwick
I’m sure you are familiar with the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Many studies have shown the scientific benefits of laughter including the release of endorphins, which, in turn, promote relaxation both physically and emotionally.
Years ago I read Anatomy of an Illness: as Perceived by the Patient by Norman Cousins and I was inspired by his ability to help heal himself from a debilitating illness with a variety of unconventional methods including the daily use of laughter.
I thought how do we incorporate more laughter and joy into our everyday lives?
Just think about it for a minute. Who do you know in your life, either currently or in your past, who has the gift of laughter and who so effortlessly spreads that gift wherever he or she goes?
I am fortunate to have many relatives and friends who can take almost any situation and find joy in it. I love surrounding myself with people who bring out the best in me and I find that those who can laugh make life that much more enjoyable.
And I think we can all agree that laughter makes us feel better. Having a positive outlook on life, no matter the situation, makes us feel better. So common sense would lead us to the conclusion that getting more laughter into our lives is literally a good thing.
I believe the key to having more “fun” in our lives is to make time for it. Think to yourself about what puts a smile on your face. Certain activities, hobbies, places you’ve visited, people you spend time with…then take as many opportunities as you can to do those things and be around those people.
Unfortunately there is a more common sight in today’s world - people looking down at their screens instead of out at the world, and the people around them. The question begs to be asked, “Are we addicted to our devices?” If the answer for many of us is yes (which studies how shown it is) then how do we learn to use these gadgets more responsibly?
First we need to go back and remember what we used to do with our time before we had smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. I can remember as a child when summer days were spent outdoors, enjoying the sunshine and participating in a variety of activities. Besides endlessly riding bikes whenever we had the chance we also made outdoor forts, picked berries, had water fights with squirt guns, played basketball or kickball and, maybe most importantly, we used our imaginations.
When I stop to think of those days the one thing they all had in common was that our time was spent together - even reading was done in the living room or outside laying on the grass or in a lawn chair.
So getting back to those devices...We could say that social media is the way we “get together” today. There is some truth to that and I enjoy Facebook as much as anyone. However, there should be a healthy balance of activities in our daily lives. Too much of anything is not good.
Learn to limit your time online. I use a kitchen timer to keep track and when it goes off, I’m off the device. It’s a simple technique but it really works for me.
This week I challenge you to make time for some fun in your life. Take some time to contemplate what that means for you personally. Reach out to those you love and connect with them. Seek out situations where you can meet new people. Do whatever it is that can bring more laughter and more joy into your life.
Tranquil Moments…
I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here’s this week’s:
This week’s Smile Video
On the Road," Steve Hartman meets an elementary school principal in Port Barre, La., whose road to success started in an unexpected place.
#believe #stevehartman #smilevideos
This week’s TED Talk - Why Having Fun Is the Secret to a Healthier Life
I have watched TED Talks for many years now. I love the wide variety of experiences and opinions TED Talks offer. Here is one I would like to share for this week:
Have you had your daily dose of fun? It's not just enjoyable, it's also essential for your health and happiness, says science journalist Catherine Price. She proposes a new definition of fun -- what she calls "true fun" -- and shares easy, evidence-backed ways to weave playfulness, flow and connection into your everyday life.
Something that made me laugh…
From the Fabulous Lovers Of Weird Everything group on Facebook
“Only women of a certain era will fully appreciate this.... True story.
Many years ago a Michigan woman and her family were vacationing in a small New England town where Paul Newman and his family often visited.
One Sunday morning, the woman got up early to take a long walk. After a brisk five-mile hike, she decided to treat herself to a double-dip chocolate ice cream cone.
She hopped in the car, drove to the center of the village and went straight to the combination bakery/ice cream parlor. There was only one other patron in the store: Paul Newman, sitting at the counter having a doughnut and coffee.
The woman's heart skipped a beat as her eyes made contact with those famous baby-blue eyes. The actor nodded graciously and the star struck woman smiled demurely. Pull yourself together! She chides herself. You're a happily married woman with three children, you're forty-five years old, not a teenager!
The clerk filled her order and she took the double-dip chocolate ice cream cone in one hand and her change in the other. Then she went out the door, avoiding even a glance in Paul Newman's direction.
When she reached her car, she realized that she had a handful of change but her other hand was empty. Where's my ice cream cone? Did I leave it in the store? Back into the shop she went, expecting to see the cone still in the clerk's hand or in a holder on the counter or something! No ice cream cone was in sight.
With that, she happened to look over at Paul Newman. His face broke into his familiar, warm, friendly grin and he said to the woman,
"You put it in your purse."
What I am reading…
When I want to laugh out loud, I pick up a book written by Jim Gaffigan. Dad is Fat is a book that instantly puts a smile on my face.
The Amazon summary is as follows: “Though he grew up in a large Irish-Catholic family, Jim was satisfied with the nomadic, nocturnal life of a standup comedian, and was content to be "that weird uncle who lives in an apartment by himself in New York that everyone in the family speculates about." But all that changed when he married and found out his wife, Jeannie "is someone who gets pregnant looking at babies."
Five kids later, the comedian whose riffs on everything from Hot Pockets to Jesus have scored millions of hits on YouTube, started to tweet about the mistakes and victories of his life as a dad. Those tweets struck such a chord that he soon passed the million followers mark. But it turns out 140 characters are not enough to express all the joys and horrors of life with five kids, so he's now sharing it all in Dad Is Fat.
From new parents to empty nesters to Jim's twenty-something fans, everyone will recognize their own families in these hilarious takes on everything from cousins ("celebrities for little kids") to growing up in a big family ("I always assumed my father had six children so he could have a sufficient lawn crew") to changing diapers in the middle of the night ("like The Hurt Locker but much more dangerous") to bedtime (aka "Negotiating with Terrorists").
Dad is Fat is sharply observed, explosively funny, and a cry for help from a man who has realized he and his wife are outnumbered in their own home.”
If you love to laugh, this is the book for you!
Children’s Corner - The Day the Crayons Quit
I love this humorous story about a rogue box of crayons. The Day the Crayons Quit is written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. Enjoy!
Holistic Wellness Spotlight - exploring the mind/body connection
This effortless guided yoga nidra practice is for finding peace and tranquility within the mind and body. After practicing this 20-minute yoga nidra practice with stream and nature sounds you can expect to feel refreshed, relaxed, and completely rejuvenated.
Also known as yogic sleep, or NSDR, yoga nidra induces complete relaxation on all levels. Just a few of the benefits you can receive from practicing yoga nidra include a nourished and regulated nervous system, reduced stress and anxiety, and more.
Quote of the week
Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….