Color Your Life Happy

The saying “laughter is the best medicine” has been around a long time, but it’s still true. It’s a serious enough topic to have lead Dr. Melissa B. Wanzer, communications professor at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY to offer a course, “Constructive Uses of Humor.” It’s no surprise that this class fills to capacity.

Wanzer’s students are required to prepare and perform a stand-up routine in front of the class. But they also read through journal articles and interpret factual studies on humor. In one such study they uncovered Southwest Airlines’ strategic effort to create a positive environment for employees and customers by integrating humor into the workplace.

Laughter is not just best for improving our general mood, but also for coping with terminal illness and aging. In her research she learned that humor had tremendous benefits for the patients and health care providers.

While researchers are still debating the physical changes that makes laughter beneficial, they all seem to agree that it’s good for us.

Fortunately, we don’t have to become stand-up comedians to add more humor to our lives. We can find humor in small things around us, or make fun or ourselves.

Because our personalities differ, we vary in what we consider funny. For example, here’s a joke that will bring anywhere from a smile to a belly laugh.
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A young man asked God how long a million years was to him.

God said, “A million years to you is like a single second to me.”

The young man asked God what a million dollars was to him.

God replied, “A million dollars to you is like a single penny to me.”

The young man said, “Could I have one of your pennies?”

God smiled and said, “Certainly, just a second.”

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One thing that seems true about laughter is that it’s contagious. Watch this video that I spotted on Work Happy Now and soon you’ll be laughing too.

What things make you laugh?