My counseling office is next to my husband’s office. I have a sound machine so he cannot hear anything exchanged between myself and my clients. What he does hear is laughter. He recently asked about why there was so much laughing when clients were coming to see me with challenging issues in their lives. The answer is simple: Laughter lightens their burdens.
I don’t think I set out to use laughter, rather it just comes naturally. It lightens the mood and allows my clients to ease into dealing with their struggles. Physiologically speaking, laughter increases serotonin which makes us happy; stimulates the heart, lungs and other muscles; with increased heart rate and blood pressure we get a mini work out; and it stimulates our circulation system.
While laughing won’t make our problems go away, it will give us a reprieve. It will also allow us to take on those challenges from a refreshed state of mind. And best of all, we smile. Can you even laugh without smiling-I don’t think so!?! So, laugh when you can. Do it as often as you can. It makes life a little lighter and happier.
May laughter be heard from you path and journey of life!