My goal is to convince others about the importance of humor in our lives. Great jokes are like
medicine. YouTube videos that are fall-off-your-chair funny circulate through
cyber-space at mach speed. It feels great to laugh because laughter is good for
us! Laughter sends oxygen into the blood
stream giving us energy and endorphins to the brain instructing it to let go of
stress. Bookstores are filled with books on how to manage stress. Rarely do we talk about how important
laughter is for our well-being. There are no books for how to laugh hard and
long. Laughter is great exercise. Hearty laughing for 10 minutes is the same as
a half-hour workout. When I found that
out I quit going to the gym. (insert
laughter here, that’s one of my best jokes).
Laughter is also free. Sugar
free, fat free, doesn’t cost anything and you are always dressed
appropriately. No business casual
required. (more laughter inserted here,
please).
People you can laugh with are the people you
go to when times get tough. They have a way
of making you feel better. Humor reduces social awkwardness and brings people
together. Knowing the importance of
laughter and the role it plays, I love to make people laugh. Making fun of myself,
using current events or telling embarrassing stories about my friends and family to get people
laughing is an intentional choice I make to create a bond and build
relationships. I want to make people feel comfortable so I can get to know
them and help them.
Laughter breaks down barriers and allows us to communicate difficult information in a non-threatening way . Parents have the difficult job of encouragement and discipline. Leaders have the difficult task of bringing out the best in others and minimizing the negative traits of those they work with. Understanding the appropriateness of humor and its uses is critical to success. Great communicators must have persuasive skills to draw others to their cause. Real leaders never take themselves too seriously or promote themselves without strengthening others near them. Leaders and Laughter, go together like love and marriage, peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper… work with me, people. Even the Bible says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” So if laughter is good for us, what are you waiting for?