Laughter is a great reliever of stress. I’m currently involved in improv comedy so I get a nice dose of laughter pretty regularly. Laughing has had tremendous impacts on my mood. I’m more relaxed, calm, easy going and less likely to get hung up on daily stress. Laughter has a myriad of benefits. These benefits include giving your abs a workout and your metabolism a boost. Laughter can leave you feeling relaxed, is a great way to connect with other people and has been shown to reduce stress levels. There is no doubt that laughter has powerful benefits in your life. Here are 14 ways to laugh off your stress.
- Check out your local comedy club. Not only will you have something new and fun to suggest to your friends but you’ll get an opportunity to relax and share laughter with your loved ones.
- Watch a funny movie. Regardless of what type of movies you like the most, there will usually be a comedic flair for any type of genre. Whether you like romantic comedies, action with comedy or a plain comedy flick, book your night out to catch up on a funny movie. You’ll feel better after you watch it.
- Smile in the mirror. Even when you are in places where its not easy to laugh such as at work or dealing with a stressful situation,with your friends, head to a bathroom and smile at yourself in the mirror. It may seem silly at first but smiling can signal to your brain to stop feeling stress. Give smiling a try!
- Have humor tools at the ready. There are many situations where we need humor but it may not be easily accessible in the moment. Personally, at my work desk I like to keep cute and silly objects on my desk. They are something I can look at whenever I need my day instantly brightened. You can try decorating your living or work area with some humor quotes, silly items, have a funny desktop picture, funny pictures of you and your family or anything that easily makes you smile and laugh.
- Spend time with positive and funny friends. You may have some friends who easily make you smile and can make you feel more lighthearted and at ease. Organize a day out with these types of people or even just give them a call. Sharing a good laugh will put the both of you at ease.
- Try to laugh at the ridiculousness of situations. Even stressful and serious situations can be funny if you view it in a different light. Try to see the humor in every situation. It’ll help you not take those daily stresses too seriously.
- Read a funny book. There are some brilliant books out there that are really funny to read and can brighten your mood. Check out some of these books and try to read the books during times where you might feel more stress such as after or before work or during lunch breaks.
- Join a comedy class. You don’t have to be a comedian or have any ambitions to become one to join a comedy class. I made a wonderful decision by joining an improv class. One day of the week, for several hours, I get an opportunity to be carefree and share laughter with other people. Fortunately there are many types of comedy classes that may suit different people such as written sketch comedy courses, improv comedy courses or stand up. See what your area offers and give it a shot.
- Watch funny videos on the Internet. Sometimes when I’m stressed at work, I’ll put on a very brief clip designed to make me laugh. They tend to last for a few seconds or minutes so that they don’t distract you from work and can make you feel more relaxed.
- Read funny comics. Keep a collection of comics that you can read regularly or find a few websites that show funny comics every so often.
- Allow yourself to laugh when connecting with others. Does someone ever say something funny, and instead of laughing you just smile instead? Do you hold back your laughter unnecessarily? When socializing with friends or people, allow yourself to giggle or laugh openly when someone tells a joke or is trying to make you smile.
- Read a funny article while at work. Sometimes I like to search for funny or lighthearted articles. I’ll keep them open at work so I can read them whenever I get a spare minute.
- Incorporate laughter into your meditation. Laughing doesn’t have to get in the way of a meditative state. Try using laughter in your next meditation session and see where it takes you.
- Write about a stressful situation with a humorous twist. For the writers and creative types, use your stressful situation as a prompt for looking for humor in your art. For instance, let’s just say that you and your coworker got into a disagreement. Write about the situation with a humorous twist. Maybe your story could describe how your coworker got a curse where they could only disagree with everyone they talked to today or how someone began tickling your angry coworker without stopping. Writing about an event helps you see the situation in a different light and allows you to just laugh it off.
Laughter is contagious so start incorporating laughter into your life now. Next time you are feeling down, set the mood for some good and hearty laughter. In what ways do you incorporate laughter into your life?