When times get tough, at some point, people instinctively know they need to lighten up in order to get through it.
To a child, often the box a toy came in is more appealing than the toy itself.
Zen teaches that once we can open up to the inevitability of our demise, we can begin to transform that situation and lighten up about it.
It has been said that 80% of what people learn is visual.
Now, a recent study from cardiologists at the University of Maryland, has shown that laughter may have a beneficial effect on the heart.
The tragedy of September 11th was so sudden, so enormous, and so horrendous, both in terms of lives lost and global consequences, that this country and the world went into immediate and prolonged shock.
Advertisers also know that humor can help bond us to their product.
Laughter, and the broader category of humor, are key elements in helping us go on with our life after a loss.
When we are dealing with death we are constantly being dragged down by the event: Humor diverts our attention and lifts our sagging spirits.
And, unlike the earlier bombing on the World Trade Center, a major landmark and symbol of the strength of the financial world was, not just damaged but, totally destroyed.
Kids can amuse themselves with almost anything.
Laughing is also good for your respiratory system.
Since the goal of my programs is to show audiences how humor can both help them heal as well as deal with not-so-funny stuff, I decided to discuss the events of the previous week, the pain all of us were feeling, and how humor and some laughter might be beneficial.
Sometimes it takes ten seconds to see some humor in your dilemmas, sometimes ten years.
When we can find some humor in our upsets, they no longer seem as large or as important as they once did.
Whether planned or not, humor takes our mind off of our troubles.
Today’s business and health care climate may not be pleasant. Cutbacks, pay cuts and layoffs do not make anyone’s job easy. But that does not mean that the humor need stop.
When you think about advertisements, it makes sense that they want to hold and retain our attention.
It is still not clear from this study how laughter can directly help the heart but other studies have shown that laughter is beneficial for every system in the body.
In looking for humor, keep in mind this guideline: Sometimes it takes a little time to see the humor in your upsets; you may not find something to laugh about immediately.
Any attempts at humor immediately after September 11th were deemed tasteless.