Laugh It Up!

This morning I was hanging out with Evan. I saw her look at one of her plastic play cups that I had put her little stuffed fish into. She started laughing at this discovery. I laughed too.

The other day Barbara and I were going for a ride in the car with Evan. I heard Evan start clapping in the back seat and asked Barbara what she was clapping about. Barbara said that she just does that sometimes.

Marcel Proust said, "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

I am truly grateful for my little girl.

This little blog entry is about joy and laughter.

I was listening to Robin Sharma the other day and he shared a striking bit of information.

The average 4 year old laughs 300 times per day.
The average adult laughs 15 times per day.

Wow! Can you imagine?

When was the last time you laughed? When was the last time you laughed so hard tears ran down your face? Do you remember laughing so hard as a teenager that milk came out of your nose? Then you and everyone around you laughed even more.

According to Robin Sharma, comedian Steve Martin laughs in front of the mirror for 5 minutes every morning. He says that it gets him in the right frame of mind and gets the creative juices flowing.

In China they say, one who has not laughed today has not lived today.

"The more you laugh, the more you live."
- Robin Sharma

Laughter and joy have also healed people.

"Norman Cousins (1915 to 1990), longtime editor of the Saturday Review, global peacemaker, receiver of hundreds of awards including the UN Peace Medal and nearly fifty honorary doctorate degrees, overcame a life threatening disease and a massive coronary, each time using his own nutritional and emotional support protocol.Cousin’s seminal book ”Anatomy of an Illness” details his healing journey overcoming ankylosing spondylitis (a degenerative disease causing the breakdown of collagen). Given up to die within a few months in 1965, almost completely paralyzed, Cousins checked out of the hospital, moved into a hotel room and began taking extremely high doses of vitamin C while exposing himself to a continuous stream of humorous films and similar "laughing matter". His condition steadily improved and Cousins regained the use of his limbs until he was able to return to his full-time job at the Saturday Review." - from http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/laughter-is-medicine.html

Norman Cousins' case was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1979. Since this time, scientist have confirmed that laughter boosts energy and creativity levels, and also promotes a sense of well-being. Laughing releases neurochemicals in your brain that lead to feelings of relaxation and happiness.

"May laughter fill your home, relieve your stress, and strengthen your friendships. Do not let a day go buy without laughing; it is good for your health." Catherine Pulsifer, from Seven Gifts To Give To A Friend

So laugh it up! Life can be a lot of fun. : )