Okay, so maybe in the overall scheme of things, laughter may not be the BEST medicine, but it surely will make life better and happier. Not only that, but you and I are much more fun to be around if we’re laughing and jovial.

How much time do you spend laughing it up? I know, if you’re having crisis moments or lots of difficulty, laughter seems a million miles away from your current stress situation. You’re probably thinking to yourself - oh, if I could only bring back the laughter.

Well, there’s a man named Norman Cousins who did some extensive research on the physical benefits of laughter and happiness. He even established a “Humor Research Task Force” to do some worldwide clinical research on humor. Do you know what his conclusion was?

Laughter, Happiness and Joy are the Perfect Medicine for Stress

In fact, here are some of the benefits that he concluded come from laughter:

• Stress reduction
• Mood elevation
• Lower blood pressure
• An Immune System boost
• Better Thinking & Memory
• Healthier Heart
• Better Sleep & Relaxation
• General Feeling of Satisfaction

Interesting, huh? Now, you’re probably thinking, “I’d like to laugh more, but with my situation, I can’t!”

Well,I say, now is your chance to be proactive in the midst of difficulty, crisis and stress. Do something and start laughing it up. Several weeks ago, I wrote in a blog about how exercise releases endorphins, which are nature’s pain killers in the body. Did you know that laughter also releases these powerful endorphins? In essence, endorphins, when released in the brain, affect the body a lot like morphine does. Endorphins create a feeling of well-being throughout the whole body and help relieve pain. Hence the benefits that I listed above.

My SUPERCHARGED suggestion for you today is NO MATTER WHAT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE - Practice making laughter a real part of your life. Watch a funny movie. Spend some time with an upbeat, positive - happy go lucky friend. Allow some of that infectious joy and laughter to rub off on you. Fight to find a way to make your stomach hurt with a good belly laugh.

The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22 - “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”

Today, determine within your heart that you’re going to do whatever you can to laugh more, at every opportunity. Do this and watch the sun shine light into the midst of your crisis and stress.

As most of us know, Easter is a reverent and holy day for Christians throughout the world, because of the redemptive and rennovative meaning of the resurrection of Christ. On the lighter side of things, here’s some untimely wisdom that we can learn (from the Easter Bunny of all things) and use to de-stress, unwind and maintain some sanity in our lives. This is not original stuff. A friend of mine sent this to me. I thought it was cute, practical and lighthearted, so I’m sharing it with you. I hope you enjoy!

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There’s no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Some body parts should be floppy.

Keep your paws off of other people’s jelly beans.

Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.

The grass is always greener in someone else’s basket.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

And you thought that you couldn’t learn something from the Easter Bunny!

 

 Negative Perspective - Are You Wearing Sunglasses at Night? [4:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Last week, I wrote a short blog on personal crisis and negative thinking. I ended the blog using the word “perspective”. Keep that word - PERSPECTIVE - in mind as you read what follows -

Have you ever tried to do something indoors with your sunglasses on?

Ok, so maybe you’re one of those “cool” people who wears his shades inside (for image and all), but on a more practical note, think for a moment about what it’s like to wear your sunglasses inside the house or better yet, what happens when you wear them at night? Try it sometime and see how easy it is to cook or read or watch TV. Ok, so you have the idea.

Now, once again, think about PERSPECTIVE. More importantly, think about YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

Let’s dig a little deeper. Let’s say that it’s nighttime and you’re in the car driving, with your sunglasses on. Now, let’s talk about your perspective. Answer the following questions for yourself:

• How easy is it to see the road?
• Can you read the speedometer to know how fast you’re going?
• Do your eyes hurt from straining to see?
• Is it frustrating?
• Are you able to drive as fast as you could without the sunglasses?
• Is it scary?
• What are you chances of having an accident?

Again, I think you get the picture. My point here is that when you wear sunglasses at the wrong time, not only are they ineffective, but they actually can put your life at risk. If wearing your sunglasses at night makes driving difficult or almost impossible, what can you do to fix the situation?

Sunglasses at night may look cool, but not so bright!

TAKE YOUR SUNGLASSES OFF! Brilliant, huh?

Ok, for the sake of driving this home, let’s turn this little analogy to the personal and practical side as it relates to you and your PERSPECTIVE. In this case, wearing sunglasses = bad, negative, disruptive, depressing, pessimistic in terms of perspective and attitude. Now, with that in mind, what happens if you wear your “sunglasses at night” with regards to your PERSPECTIVE? Answer these questions:

• How easy is it to conduct your life - work, make friends, love family members, eat right, exercise, etc.?
• Is it hard to find your way?
• How do you feel physically, mentally and emotionally?
• Are you frustrated?
• Are you effective at ____________________ (you fill in the blank)?
• Is your negative viewpoint slowing you down?
• Do you find yourself depressed, anxious and sick a lot?
• How successful do you think you will be, wearing this PERSPECTIVE?
• Is it helping or hurting you?

They’re valid questions to ask. All of us need to keep our perspective in check on a daily basis. It’s not an easy thing to do, especially when our lives don’t go exactly as we hope.

Here’s your inspiration for today - Don’t let a bad or negative perspective put your life in peril. Make sure that you daily keep it in check. If you’re not sure how, download my Outline of “10 Crucial STEPS to SuperCharge Your Life” (by filling out the form on the right) and learn to take off your “sunglasses at night.”