"Laughter: A Helpful Tool for Stressful Times"

Dare we laugh during difficult times? As I reflected upon my own laughter meter in recent weeks, I realized that I have had several moments of weeping and many moments of laughing.

This reminded me that laughing and crying are on the same continuum — both designed to offer release and relief. During tough times we may think that laughter is inappropriate or an indication that we are not as serious as we "should" be.

My belief is that it is in tough times that laughter is especially helpful to move us from intense introspection to connection with others, perhaps through service and outreach. Laughter is about connection, and I think a significant time to connect outside of self is during difficult times. So go ahead and laugh — and weep — simply because you can.

And, if you need a jumpstart, here are some ideas to help get you laughing:

Laugh with a friend: Call the one person whom you know will absolutely laugh — no preliminary conversations needed; just laugh.

Look for laughter in each day: A funny incident, a thought, a billboard, a commercial, whatever helps you smile.

Listen to other people laughing and then join in: This is great in parking lots, grocery stores, networking meetings, restaurants, sports arenas, wherever people gather.

Try a laughter exercise: Simulate laughter to stimulate laughter. Example: Smile 5 times in 5 seconds; now try this while watching yourself in a mirror.

Walk and laugh: Granted, this may draw some interesting looks from observers. As you are walking at a leisurely pace, simply repeat a laughing word like "ha" with each step. Change the pace of your walk and the pace of the laughing word. You can do this audibly or silently —- you'll be smiling either way!

Invite friends over and begin storytelling: You'll learn new things about each other and share some laughter plus the connection will be priceless.

Now is a good time to re-connect with levity and lightheartedness: Fly a kite, play ball, paint, sing silly songs, take a child for a walk, visit a senior and get them talking about the "good old days", discover how many licks to the center of a tootsie roll pop, laugh out loud simply because you can.

Connect with each other through the spirit of laughter so that you experience all that laughter can be for you. The spirit of laughter impacts your spiritual and mental health and is wonderfully infectious, contagious, universal, fun, free and uplifting — ideal for difficult times.

Lynn Shaw, MSW; www.lynnshaw.com Lynn speaks on the benefits of therapeutic laughter and is the author of the Self-Healing Expressions.com e-mail course: Laughter for the Healing Heart and the book: Tee Hee Moments: Remembering to Laugh When You're Having One of Those Days

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