Laugh Your Way to Health and Success (By Anne O'Dwyer)

Laughter is considered the best medicine, not only do you have a positive outlook, but you feel happier and laughter is found to have an aesthetic effect on pain. Norman Cousins laughed in the face of death, not only prolonging his life by many years but anesthetized his pain so he could sleep when he developed a debilitating disease. He watched comic movies for ten minutes to give him two hours respite from the pain, he decided belly laughter was the answer to relieving pain and studied the effects of human emotions on pain and ill-health.

This morning I visited my mother now in her 90's, it's always quite a tonic, she is always laughing despite various ailments. My brother had lost his voice and was writing messages, making hand gestures and whispering, but her eyesight isn't so good and she is very deaf; with the result they were making slow progress.

However she could see the funny side and spent the morning laughing. It's probably a mix of good genes, her indomitable spirit and happy disposition that keeps her alive.

So when things are getting you down find something funny in the situation, you can't smile and feel miserable at the same time - Try it! Maybe we should all watch Carry on Films, to boost our immune systems. So when I put my foot out of the door this morning and ended up on my back, instead of feeling annoyed I should have laughed - it must have been a funny sight!

So I'm lucky, I don't usually greet the frosty mornings, and venture out later in the day, as I work at home. There are 2,000,000,000 people making a daily Google search for ways to work at home, I'm pleased to say I have found the answer - Affiliate marketing with the guidance of a coach and mentor who provides best-selling products for my customers and excellent current marketing training. With her help commissions can be earned whilst learning the techniques.

It takes a while to replace your day-job earnings so beginning part-time is the answer. Later when you have perfected the basics you can move into different avenues, there is plenty of choice. There are many millionaires in the industry and many part-timers. It doesn't happen over-night but extra cash is always useful and it makes an exciting new hobby whilst it's growing. It is exciting seeing your efforts grow into a business.

So if you have at least basic computer skills, a laptop and broad-band connection, in time you can work anywhere and enjoy time and location freedom. We have bought a Spanish house near the beach and can enjoy warmer winters. So I can ovoid icy mornings again as we will soon be returning to sunny beaches.

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Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine (By Kathleen Dwyer-Blair)

One of my favorite things to do is to laugh. I just love how it feels to experience that seemingly uncontrollable belly laugh that jars the body and the system and feeds my soul. It doesn't matter what triggers it.

My Laughter could be triggered by:

• Jimmy Fallon or Tina Fey

• A funny joke a friend tells

• My husband's natural funniness

• Something I've done unexpectedly that makes me laugh at myself

• My dog, Keegan, running around with her squeaky toy shaking her head and booty

• Watching a child dancing, or how they bask in the little wonders of the world

It just feels so delicious and there is no better emotional release, at times, than unabashed laughter.

Did You Have Your Daily Dose of Laughter?

Take notice, do you find yourself laughing often, or is this a rare occurrence? If laughter is uncommon, what may be standing in the way of your laughter, or the ability to find lightness in experiences?

We've talked before how tears are necessary and an amazing and important way of releasing pain, stress, or trauma. Laughter may be equally as important as a way of releasing distressing emotions. Our bodies may even crave laughter, even if we are not aware of it.

Laughter has been known to...

• Lower stress

• Release endorphins to improve mood

• Heighten immunity

• Increase tolerance to pain

• Help enhance and or mend relationships

• Improve relaxation and sleep

... be contagious.

Embracing the Silliness in Life

I feel blessed to have beings in my life that just make me laugh. I do believe that I have manifested this for myself since laughter is so important to me. If laughter is significant to us, it means that we may want to surround ourselves with people and experiences that allow us to laugh.

I do love to share deeply with those in my life and equally love to laugh with them. This for me creates balance. Just allowing ourselves to feel the joy, the silliness, the playfulness, and the levity in our experiences.

"Laughter helps us roll with the punches that inevitably come our way. The power of laughter is unleashed every time we laugh. In today's stressful world, we need to laugh much more."

~ Enda Junkins, LCSW, LMFT, BCD. Known as the Laughing Psychotherapist.

Seeking Out Our Inner Playful Self

If bouts of spontaneous laughter are few and far between, it might be helpful to be mindful of what we do find funny in everyday experiences. Or does life feel so serious that we have not found room for silliness, playfulness, or humor?

If we don't know how to organically tap into our inner playful self, there are ways that we could explore what may help us to laugh.

Finding Your Funny:

Only we can identify what we find funny. If we don't know what makes us laugh, we can take some time to connect and explore possible things that may help to bring out our laughter. If laughter never came naturally, we might need to do a little research to find our funny bone.

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Laughter In Our Aberrant Time

The "Science of Laughter" is not a concept to be laughed off as absurdly trivial. Indeed, the power of mirth that produces guffaw is one of the most potent forces that can address the varied crises of our sordid time. We live in a time of nuclear threat; terrorism & refugee crisis; unemployment; poverty & sickness. If humor & laughter cannot cure all evils, it can surely enable us to survive the difficult times and develop a system of immunity within us to fight back the negative impacts with replenished energy!

Laughter keeps our life "flowing" when things, at large, seem to have come to a standstill. Apparently, the ridiculous or the nonsensical are taken for granted when a friend lifts up our low spirit with a merry joke. The hilarious photographs on Pinterest, & also, Cat videos & Bonobo monkeys on You Tube, seemingly, serve no purpose other than providing amusement. But when we introspect about the same it can be realized how these different items of entertainments provide support to our mental & physical health!

The slap-stick antics of a hilarious Chaplin comedy or the extremely funny British sitcoms, Black adder, & Mr. Bean, played by the great comedian, Rowan Atkinson, can transport our insomniac brains to an elevated state of glee! Suddenly the crude; the mundane & the mechanized world appear colorful and our perspective changes for the better! Even in the comedies of Shakespeare we discover how merriment & laughter has always been a survival instinct for mankind! When Antonio croons on his "sad part" in the world, Gratiano answers,

"WITH MIRTH AND LAUGHTER LET OLD WRINKLES COME"( Merchant of Venice, Act 1)

To lend credence to the belief of the greatest dramatist of the Jacobean age, modern science, today, affirms the tremendous significance of joy & laughter as a powerful defense mechanism against the problems of our day to day complex existence. It is recommended as "the best medicine" that heals us to be able to face the death threats that often show up in varied forms in different parts of the globe. It is time to take" humor seriously" or "seriousness humorously".

The Academy award winner, Roberto Bengini, in his "Life is Beautiful" has well exemplified the assertion that laughter is valuable even in Holocaust- related contexts! In a different setting, Charles Chaplin in his "The Great Dictator" presents us with a brilliant caricature of Hitler's serious ambition to project himself as a demi-god! In both the films, though of different times, laughter is a weapon against the oppressors. Bengini's film affirms the beauty & worth of life despite Holocaust & its grim reality. It is an affirmation that life can rise above the harsh realities of time if we can laugh off its seriousness!

However, human life is not just threatened by the impact of terrorism, oppression & brutality. The menace could be internal if it is triggered by the fear of death caused by incurable/ fatal diseases that afflict the human body.

Herein lies the role of the "Hope Doctors "whose emergence is a new, world- wide phenomenon. The heart of the idea is to introduce jocularity amidst the suffering patients who have been confined within the hospital wards and cabins for years. Laughter in a hospital is not a common sight. It is also not common to run into medical clowns within its ambiance. The concept of using trained professional comedians for therapeutic support has not gained ground around the world. Hence, it is unthinkable to apply in a country like India where hospitals wear a grim look of pain & fear.

Nevertheless, a former TV Journalist in India Diya Banerjee's Documentary" The Hope Doctors" surveys the new trend through the efforts of Fif Fernandes, a former nurse with hospitals in Canada, who has introduced the new idea in India. Assisted by her husband, Hamish Boyd, she operates with the Aaravind Eye Hospital in Pondicherry. Besides, the documentary explores how Ashwath Bhatt, a well- known comedian, is a regular visitor of pediatric cancer ward of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.

The comedian visits with his company who are the funny actors with red noses & colorful wigs. It is heartening to see how their antics generate a chirpy atmosphere among the ailing children. One can hear twitters & happy squeals echo through the children's ward in AIIMS, one of India's largest public hospitals. The funny facial expression of the silver haired lady, and the guffaws she generates among the sick children, is highly fulfilling to watch!

Being funny can be a serious job as the "Hope Doctors" believe that the trained performers can complement the medical treatment through mime, music & dance which could immensely contribute to the benefit of the serious patients, alleviating their pain, and thus, improving the atmosphere of the hospitals.

It is curious to know that the renowned advocate of the philosophy that "Laughter is the best medicine", the American doctor & humorist Patch Adams, was the greatest inspiration of Robin Williams, the actor who expressed laughter in seriousness & seriousness in laughter with subtle touches!

Indeed, we may conclude that the idea to mingle comic skill with nursing expertise for the general well-being of the patients is a unique one! It is positive & cathartic in its implication. Hence, medical clowning should not be perceived as an appendage but a practice that can be embedded in the Holistic Health Care System. Scientific evidence corroborates that healing speeds up with the strengthening of the patient's mental health. Laughter lights up our mind to rejuvenate our body.

So always laugh whenever you find chance because it is the cheapest medicine found in the world!

CAN FUN & LAUGHTER BE THE HEALER OF OUR ABERRANT TIME?

Indeed it can! There is no doubt that this life is a serious business and just "not an empty dream."

However, it cannot be cheerless and bereft of joy and laughter. Lack of mirth kills the essence of "vitality" within us which is needed to counter the disharmony and the force of destruction that has been threatening our day to day existence. Noble deeds can be performed only by a harmonious spirit which is the gift of inner happiness. One may find the inspiration of joy and laughter even in the preachings of Christ, the Messiah of Love and Forgiveness!

Proverbs: 17.22:

"A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

Psalm 126:2:

"Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "THE LORD has done great things for them". [The Bible]

If we explore the genesis of the idea that laughter & mirth, generated by humor, is an elixir for our physical & mental well-being, we must refer to the multiple verses found in the Bible, to strengthen our view. We wonder at the practical wisdom expressed in the Bible when we find, how, today, the doctors all over the world, assert the multiple health benefits of laughter generated by humor.

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Be Happy For This Moment For This Is Your Life

The only time you can really be happy is right now. It is easy to remember all these things when they are being said; it is much harder to remember them when you are stuck in traffic or lying in bed worrying about the next day. If you want to move people, simply tell them the truth.

Today, it is rarer than it's ever been. It's easy to get caught up in life-what is happening, what isn't, what we wish was happening- and forget what we do have. The moments of nonstop laughter, the smile on someone else's face, when someone shows you a kindness you know you'll never be able to return, or when you help someone out that will never be able to repay you.

We spend a lot of time looking forward to the next thing, the next event, or the next step that we forget to live the life we have right now, in this moment. The people around me, my kids and family and the friends I've made have all reminded me of the importance of just being human. Some people would call it fate, karma, etc. but whatever we label it, it transcends us.

Seeing ourselves and the things around us-and I mean really seeing them with all their flaws, beauty, and potential-is living and once we step out of the fog, we can find happiness. Happiness doesn't come from the best job title or biggest paycheck. Peace of mind doesn't come from an easy lifestyle. Change doesn't happen overnight.

We are able to create change by living it.The beauty of living in these moments is celebrating the small accomplishments-watching someone graduate from CRP court, helping a client complete a step on their treatment plan, or observing their ability to grow and change as their work through their treatment plan.

Take life and split it into days. Make every day your memorable moment in your life. Our only existence that matters is always at the moment you are in. So wasting it in negative thoughts or ingratitude ruins the moment. live and focus in the moment" and happiness will reflect in a different perception. Be conscious of where you are in life and appreciate your connection to now, appreciate it for what it is rather than what it isn't.

It takes practice to do living at the moment because the negative mind distracts you. We hurry through life, not thinking about little moments. Moments where we can be distracted by little things that can make us smile, or laugh. And from these moments, feel happy about that moment. Life is full of small and simple moments.

Life can hit you between the eyes, or pass by you in the space of a heartbeat. The special moments go uncounted all our lives. And only a few will stand out when we are old and have the time to sit and reflect back. Or will they have drifted out of our minds, as they did soon after the experience?

I am taking the time now, to not regret paying attention to the simple moments that are given to me, to enjoy in life especially with my wonderful and adorable kids.

Just to take more notice of what life had to offer. Appreciate what we have right now. Be happy because we are blessed be it small or big.

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Where There is Laughter, There is Success.

10 Ways to Calm Down When You're Angry

Anger can get in the way of productivity and can sap our positive energy. Wouldn't it be nice if you could quickly move on from being angry? Here are 10 simple strategies to quickly overcome anger and take back your positivity.

1. Go for a walk

Simply taking a break and going for a walk can do wonders for anger. It gives you time to calm down and sort your thoughts out while getting some fresh air. Go for a quick 20 minute walk and before you know it your mind will be more calm.

2. Phone a friend

Sometimes we just need to talk to someone who understands. Calling a sympathetic friend you trust can go a long way in getting over something that has made you angry. Talk through the issue you are dealing with but be careful not to yell or be rude to your friend. Knowing that you are not alone with your issue can do wonders for your mood.

3. Think about someone else's needs

It feels good to have someone sympathize with you. It also feels good to sympathize with others. When someone does something that makes you angry try thinking about what their needs might be. This is one of the harder strategies for getting over anger but it is also one of the most effective. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic think about what need they might have. Maybe they are late for a job interview, maybe their wife is having a baby, or maybe they just have a lot on their mind. Seeing them in a more human light may help you get over your initial anger at their behavior.

4. Have a mantra

If you find yourself getting angry frequently it may be a good idea to have a mantra that you can repeat in your head whenever you start to feel anger. This could be a simple word such as "peace" or a short sentence such as, "I love and accept myself and others." Practice feeling calm as you say your mantra every morning when you are relaxed. When you are in more difficult situations your mantra should bring back that calm feeling.

5. Meditate

If you can remove yourself from the anger provoking situation it is a good idea to try to meditate. Try some simple visualization techniques such as imagining yourself in a beautiful place like a beach and focus on the beauty around you. Another technique you can try is to focus your attention on relaxing your body starting with your toes. Once your toes are relaxed focus on your calves, then your thighs, and continue until you are at the top of your head. Meditation can do wonders for mood and relaxation.

6. Do breathing exercises

This is something you can do even if you can't get away. Try taking 3 very deep breaths that fill your diaphragm completely. Take your time inhaling and exhaling. This will help your body and mind relax and will provide time for you to calm down.

7. Drink some chamomile

Chamomile, lavender, and valerian make great teas for de-stressing and relaxing. The act of making yourself a cup of tea will give you time to distance yourself from the event that made you angry. Once you've made your tea take some time to take in the relaxing smells and enjoy the taste.

8. Be assertive

If someone has been rude to you or done something that makes you angry it can be very helpful to confront them in an assertive way. It can feel good to stand up for yourself while not sinking to their level. Kill their rudeness with kindness and replace what would be a feeling of anger with a feeling of pride in your emotional strength.

9. Head to the gym

Sometimes anger can be energizing. A great way to use that energy is to sweat it out. Not only will you get a great workout but exhausting yourself will help you sleep at night. Head to the gym or go for a run. Channel your anger onto a punching bag and reap the benefits of getting in shape.

10. Have a laugh

Laughter can certainly be the best medicine. Getting yourself to laugh not only gets you out of an angry state but can have a positive effect on your immune system. Know what makes you laugh and have easy access to it at all times. Is there a video, picture, or comic that always makes you laugh? Have it at the ready and take back your positive energy.

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Ruining Obstacles With Laughter

I'm sure everyone knows how annoying obstacles can be. Especially when you feel really motivated and excited and an obstacle comes and knocks you down. But are Obstacles really all that bad?

I mean sure, they are obstructing you from achieving what you want and getting your work done, but is there a good side to obstacles too?

According to the Law of Opposites, there's a good and a bad in every situation, which includes obstacles. So how do we start seeing the brighter side of these pesky things called obstacles? Well, here's an example.

The other day I was at school and during break, I had some free time so I decided to use my phone to get some work done. As I was trying to maximize my time, which is kinda new to me, something odd happened.

A bee randomly flew onto my knee. Since I didn't notice that it was a bee because I was busy trying to do my work, I subconsciously put my hand over my knee sensing something was there. The bee, which in its defense probably panicked, stung me! I've never been stung by a bee before so I didn't actually know what to do. And I was also in pain which added to my regular blur state.

Luckily for me, my sister was with me and she helped me get things sorted out. It took the rest of break for me to get my bee stung hand treated and so I didn't get to finish the work I was doing. You would think that the fact that a bee randomly flew near me and stung me would have been a really huge obstacle; which in turn should make me really annoyed.

But even though I wasn't exactly happy with the bee at that moment, I thought that the whole situation was extremely hilarious. I remembered that one of the things that our Old- Subconscious Mind does in order to regain its strength is that it tries to make you frustrated. And the perfect way to make me frustrated would be to send an obstacle that would prevent me from finishing my stuff.

Instead, by laughing at the whole thing, the chances are you won't get so stressed about the whole thing easily. You'd feel a lot better about the whole thing; and also laughing is the perfect tool to make a serious situation seem like nothing big. Then you can easily move on from the obstacle light-heartedly.

But the story didn't end there. After about an hour the swelling from the bee sting began to slowly spread across my hand. I needed to go to the clinic to see if I was okay. Apparently, I was mildly allergic to bees and so I needed an injection and some medicine. I also needed to go home because the swelling hand made my whole hand bloat up and the injection was making me sleepy.

Again, this would seem like a major obstacle. If you weren't feeling well, you couldn't work on your goals, could you?

Well, actually you can. Even though I knew my Subconscious was trying to make me stress out about not doing my work, I stole a few minutes here and there to work on my things. A few minutes while I was on the way to the clinic and back from it as well, a few minutes in the waiting room, a couple of minutes before I fell asleep on the journey home; I found all these small opportunities to finish my work.

In a way, I wouldn't have had the experience and those extra minutes of doing my work if the obstacle hadn't arose in the first place. An obstacle isn't a bad thing, it's the way you react or respond to the obstacle which makes it good or bad.

So in the end, the person who actually creates the obstacles are you. You can choose to turn it into whatever you want. You could even choose to laugh the whole thing off if you wanted. Or you could choose to be sad and emo about the obstacles you face every day. In the end, your choice and perception about the obstacle is actually the real obstacle in disguise.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Ruining-Obstacles-With-Laughter&id=9324239

5 Ways to Build Rapport With a Complete Stranger

"Did you see that game last night?" "How about all this rain we've been getting?" "That's a nice bowling trophy. I love bowling!" Ever use one of those questions? Thought so. Who are you kidding with that crap? In the words of Jeffrey Gitomer, "All things being equal, people buy from friends. All things NOT being equal, people buy from friends."

If people buy from people they like, one of your first goals should be to get your prospects to like you. For a salesperson, this can be tough. People have a hard time trusting salespeople with their time, money and business. Most people don't even want to talk to you. Welcome to reality: your prospects are busy and may feel that speaking with you is a complete waste of time. Many of your prospects may not even see a need for your product, or may be content with the version they already have. Point being, if you want to successfully establish rapport with your prospects, you'll have to do it quickly, before they get the chance to assume you're just like every other salesperson. Fortunately, there are 5 keys to help you get this friendship off to a quick start!

1. Relax - Have Fun!

It is your job to create an environment that is conducive to buying. Pointless, scripted, ice-breaking questions only create a cold selling environment. So relax and have a little bit of fun! As soon as you meet your prospective customer, you will be evaluated. That evaluation will be determined not just by how you feel, but also how you make your prospect feel. The only way to put your prospect at ease is to be at ease yourself. If you're uptight and contrived, your prospect will remain guarded and cold. If you are having fun, chances are your prospect will, too! After all, people buy from people, and your job as a professional communicator (a.k.a. salesperson) is to make your customer comfortable enough to grab a Coke from your refrigerator.

2. Lighten Up, Laugh It Up

Nothing is more powerful than humor when it comes to building rapport quickly with your customer. Laughter is the spark that ignites interest and cordiality between you and your prospect; it's hard to laugh with a person and not feel comfortable around them. Some salespeople take their job too seriously, and are so focused on the sale that they forget to think about the customer. So, lighten up! If you make them laugh, they may buy from you!

3. Get to the Point

You got them on the phone, you secured an appointment, and you got them in your store - now get to the point! State your objective and why they should care. Be careful not to use clichéd and insincere reasons like saving money, increasing productivity, and other transparent and ineffective reasons they have heard from so many salespeople before you. Prospects don't enjoy wasting time by playing games, and they certainly don't trust a salesperson that makes them. Being specific will clear the air and will lead to a conversation and relationship that you will both enjoy.

4. Show Humility, but Be Yourself

Salespeople seem to be born with a humility deficiency, which is probably why most prospects don't like them. Your prospects think that THEY are the most important person in the world, and they expect to be treated as such. To build rapport quickly, you must learn to put that customer and their needs first, regardless of the size of the sale. Curb the talk about how your company is the biggest and the best, and skip the part about how your product is superior to all other products in the market. The prospect needs to come to that realization independently, and the only way for that to happen is for you to remain humble. Being humble doesn't mean that you have to stifle your uniqueness. It simply means that you must let the prospect see and experience your uniqueness rather than having to hear you talk about it.

5. Be Sincere and Honest

Trust is the foundation for building a relationship with your prospect. You CANNOT fake this! If you are only in it for the commission, it will show! You must be sincere and honest throughout every step of the process to be successful. Being sincere means believing in yourself, your product, and your company wholeheartedly. It means believing your product or service will benefit the prospect. You must be passionate about wanting to help your prospect and do so in an honest way. Without sincerity and honesty, you have no chance at building the rapport that will lead to loyal business. When you believe in your heart that your product will have a profound impact on your prospect, it will accompany every word and impression delivered to that person. Your words will be more meaningful and your prospect will be more likely to respond to them. So the next time you are tasked with trying to make a sale, remember to relax, laugh, and enjoy yourself; you're really just making a new friend!

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