The older we get it seems the less we laugh. On average kids laugh three hundred times a day and adults…five.
Have you laughed today?
Laughter is like medicine. Doctors call it “inner jogging.”
He who laughs, lasts.
8 Ways To See The Lighter Side Of Life And Lighten Up
1. Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. My office is dominated by a serious Coca Cola collection. On my desk is a turtle made out of Coke caps from Burundi, a football-shaped coconut from Hawaii and a praying TY bear named “Hope” given to me by my Daddy/Daughter Ball dance partner, Robynn.
2. Take yourself less seriously. I’m serious about my role as a pastor, but I don’t take myself seriously. The best way to take myself less seriously is to talk about times when I took myself too seriously. My best connections with people happen in sharing foibles and failures, rather than successes.
3. Uncover the irony or the humor in a bad situation. When the water in the baptism tank would freeze a polar bear, you just have to grin and bear it. This helps improve your mood and the mood of those around you – that’s healthy – even though chilly.
4. Keep things in perspective. While you might think taking the weight of the world on your shoulders is admirable, in the long run it’s unrealistic, unproductive, unhealthy, and makes you no fun at all.
5. Pay attention to children and emulate them. Kids are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing. That’s why I try to get to our on-campus Playschool once a day and pound it with a four-year old.
6. Count your blessings. The simple act of considering the good things in your life will distance you from negative thoughts that are a barrier to good humor. When you’re in a state of sadness, you have further to travel to get to humour so… don’t wait – start now!
7. A Checklist for lightening up: When you find yourself taken over by what seems to be a horrible problem, ask these questions:
• Is it really worth getting upset over?
• Is it worth upsetting others?
• Is it really my problem?
• Is it that important?
• Is it that bad?
8. Use play to overcome challenges. When you “become the problem” it can be hard to think outside the box and find new solutions. But when you play with the problem, you can often transform it into an opportunity for creative learning.
APPLICATION: Tell me your best joke or a funny story. It will help us both lighten up!
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Hi Pastor Bob. I think this is a little bit funny, comparing crayons to people. It’s all about getting along with each other even though we are all different.
We Could Learn A Lot
From Crayons:
Some Are Sharp, Some Are
Pretty, Some Are Dull,
While Others Are Bright,
Some Have Weird Names,
But They Have All Learned
To Live Together In The
Same Box.
You could call that a “Crayola” perspective. Thanks for sharing, Patricia. I like the analogy.