Remember to Laugh

Do you experience the fall blues? The change in the weather, the time change and shift in amount of daylight we get to experience, and the inevitable snowfall - all of these are the joys (insert sarcastic tone) many of us get to experience, especially in the Midwest. I don't know about you, but I am seriously conflicted when it comes to fall; I find so much joy and beauty as the leaves begin to change in color, I enjoy the cooler weather and having a sweatshirt be enough to keep warm, but the issue arises with a significant drop in the temps, the shortened daylight, the leaves fall off and the outside beauty appears to become more dull. We know that we spend too much time attached to screens, the irony of this message and having to use this technology to share it is not lost on me, and also in our wandering mind - we are distracted approximately 70-80% of the time (Sood, 37). Many people experience a shift in energy and mood as we enter Fall and, all too quickly, transition into Winter. Now, perhaps you aren't impacted by the fall blues, or perhaps you thrive in winter or live in an area where the change(s) aren't as significant, and if that is the case, that is wonderful! Regardless, one tremendously effective way to cope, increase our gratitude, enhance relationships, and increasing our immune response is to make sure we are laughing. "Humor and its cousin laughter lowers blood pressure, improves heart health, and enhances immunity," (Sood, 75). Laughter doesn't just help reduce stress, it is also responsible for increasing our positive emotions.?

I encourage you to set a daily goal of trying to laugh - recall a memory, write down funny moments and place them in a jar to pull from, find the humor (when possible and appropriate)? in stressful situations, look up jokes, and try to laugh with the people around you - especially those with whom you spend the most time with.?

Not too long ago, or at least I can remember it like it was yesterday, I found myself running late to a statewide provider meeting. Being late is not something I am a fan of, it exacerbates my anxiety among other things. To make matters worse I had to park about 3 blocks from where the meeting was taking place. After parking I took off sprinting...suit and all, jacket flying in the wind, hair (because I had it at this time) flowing ever so elegantly, enhancing arrow dynamics and decreasing drag (again, insert sarcasm - hair would actually increase drag). Feeling like Clark Kent but more resembling Chris Farley in Tommy Boy in his brown suit and hair wild, I finally reached my destination and entered the building only to find that everyone who was going to attend this meeting was standing in the lobby...many eyes now turned upon me. I was sweating, over dressed, and everyone was able to watch me sprint the distance of the building due to the windows that went the length of the building; to make it worse, we did not enter the meeting room for about 10 more minutes after my triumphant arrival which means I could have walked those 3 blocks and been just fine. I smile as I type this and, in that moment, I could not help but make light of the situation and poked a bit of fun at myself and those who I was attending with had a good laugh about it.?

I am sure you too probably have a story or two that you can draw upon and laugh at. Allow yourself the gift of humor and laughter, let your inner child play, for life is too short not to have these experiences.

As Victor Hugo stated "Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."