Sunday, August 14, 2011

Day 364 - If I Didn't Laugh I'd Be a Stressed Out Mess

Laughter IS the best medicine. When I am laughing I am not feeling sick or tired or weak. When I am with family and friends that make me laugh or smile, life feels a little lighter and a whole lot less serious. Things don't always have to be so heavy and difficult, and a good sense of humor allows me to keep a better perspective on life and I can ease some of my stress and worry. I can be silly and even if no one else gets my sense of humor, I get tickled by it. Like when my hubby and I were kayaking at the lake a couple of weeks ago. We brought a rope so we could tie my kayak to his so if I got tired, he could tow me. When we first attached the rope I felt a little self conscious because I couldn't get back to the dock on my own. So when he started to paddle forward I started paddling in the opposite direction so we were going nowhere fast. He couldn't see me behind him, so he had no idea what I was doing. I started to giggle as he was saying he wasn't sure this towing thing was going to work. When he realized what I was doing he just shook his head and then we both laughed. Granted, it was a silly thing to do, but it took the focus off my needing to be towed and it lightened the moment for me.
 
Laughter does really good things to our bodies. For starters laughter brings us back into balance, connects us to others, increases alertness, helps us to better manage our pain, relaxes muscles, releases endorphins, decreases stress hormones, and increases circulation, which is good for the heart. I certainly like what laughter does for my body but what I like best is what it does for my spirit. I like to be happy. Sharing a smile makes me feel warm inside and when I am laughing I feel whole. I seek out funny moments. I like to watch funny movies or clips on my computer. I love the sound of babies laughing and I have to laugh, too. I love when I am caught up in a funny exchange or in silliness. I love to make my girls laugh and my younger daughter gets the giggles very easily. When I go to pick her up to bring her home it isn't long before we are laughing so hard the tears are falling and our bellies hurt. There are times I can just look at her a certain way and she will just burst out laughing. She's been like that since she was small and I always thought it was good for her to develop an easy laugh because life was hard for her with having to manage her disabilities.
 
Living with fibro creates a lot of stress. My fibro puts me in lots of embarrassing situations and if I didn't laugh at their ridiculousness I would be a stressed out mess. I've showed up on the wrong week for a doctor appointment, I forget to do things I intended to do, I say things that don't make sense, and I make mistakes that just make me look foolish. I have to laugh at myself and not take it all too seriously. Not every situation needs a belly laugh to make it easier to manage. A smile and an easy attitude can relieve the stress of the moment and allow me to move on. I see good humor as a way to lighten my burdens and to help me feel optimistic and uplifted. Laughter and smiles are like life's shock absorbers. Tough situations are easier to manage with good humor. Like crying, laughter provides a release of pent up emotions and after a good laugh, we feel a sense of well-being, After a happy day I am renewed, uplifted, energized and things don't look quite so bad. There has never been a pill invented that can create joy in my life the way laughter can. I will  take a dose of laughter whenever I can get it!

1 comment:

  1. I love this. Laughter raises your endorphins and that helps alleviate pain. Good for you. I recovered from chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. My passion is to help others. https://heirscfids.blogspot.com/2011/03/compound-in-grapes-may-be-effective-for.html?showComment=1477139115028#c3315100890442882440

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