Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Let's Laugh
Good humor is the ability to feel inner joy, peace and harmony within yourself and with your surroundings. It means discovering that we are all a part of a divine comedy. When we become too serious, we help create the components for stress, rigid thinking, helplessness, cynicism, and hardening of the attitude. When we see the humor in ourselves or in our situation, we are able to go from Oh no! to Ah ha!
Research shows that a child typically laughs between 300 and 400 times a day. By the time we reach adulthood, the number drops below 15. As we laugh, hormones are released into the bloodstream that relieve pain and give us a lift. The relaxation phase following laughter (when you're "weak with laughter") has a calming effect.
Joy diffuses rage. Humor banishes the tightness and severity, which are necessary for anger. Humor and depression are incompatible. With only the exception of the most severe degrees of depression, humor relieves the heavy grip of depression. At times of tragedy, humans turn instinctively to comedy for its depression lifting effects. We seek to laugh rather than to cry.
Try this self-test. Do you use humor to improve your outlook and your heart.
Research shows that a child typically laughs between 300 and 400 times a day. By the time we reach adulthood, the number drops below 15. As we laugh, hormones are released into the bloodstream that relieve pain and give us a lift. The relaxation phase following laughter (when you're "weak with laughter") has a calming effect.
Joy diffuses rage. Humor banishes the tightness and severity, which are necessary for anger. Humor and depression are incompatible. With only the exception of the most severe degrees of depression, humor relieves the heavy grip of depression. At times of tragedy, humans turn instinctively to comedy for its depression lifting effects. We seek to laugh rather than to cry.
Try this self-test. Do you use humor to improve your outlook and your heart.
Indicate "Yes" or "No" as it applies to you.
1. I am considered an optimist rather than a pessimist when dealing
with others.
2. I consider the daily use of humor a must.
3. I can laugh at myself and take a joke when it's played on me.
4. My presence creates a friendly, jovial, and non-judgmental
atmosphere at work and home.
5. I encourage others to be funny.
6. I clip cartoons, rehearse humorous stories and save funny bones frequently.
7. I avoid ethnic and sexist humor as well as embarrassing or intimidating jokes.
8. I defuse potentially explosive situations with humor and lighthearted diversions.
9. I act out humorous incidents while relating them to others at work or home.
10. I send lighthearted notes, jokes, and cartoons to my friends, family, and work associates.
Unkown source
1. I am considered an optimist rather than a pessimist when dealing
with others.
2. I consider the daily use of humor a must.
3. I can laugh at myself and take a joke when it's played on me.
4. My presence creates a friendly, jovial, and non-judgmental
atmosphere at work and home.
5. I encourage others to be funny.
6. I clip cartoons, rehearse humorous stories and save funny bones frequently.
7. I avoid ethnic and sexist humor as well as embarrassing or intimidating jokes.
8. I defuse potentially explosive situations with humor and lighthearted diversions.
9. I act out humorous incidents while relating them to others at work or home.
10. I send lighthearted notes, jokes, and cartoons to my friends, family, and work associates.
Unkown source
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