From a very young age, girls are taught to be responsible, which often translates into being serious like adults. Boys (or men) can be boys, however, girls are expected to be women. We become experts in drama, but never really learn the ins and outs of comedy. Have you ever been around someone who can laugh at her own shortcomings, find humor in any situation, and make you laugh as well? Ellen Degeneres comes to my mind. She once did a monologue on her talk show about a fortune cookie she got the night before at dinner with the message, “It makes you happy to make people happy.” She went on to say how she gets hundreds of letters from people telling her that they love watching her show because it makes them happy.

Who wouldn’t get happy after listening to Ellen joking about herself or the happenings of everyday life? Women like Ellen have a unique talent and provide a special gift to humanity; they help lighten the load in life by showing you a more balanced, less serious perspective.

Sometimes you can get the most emotional release from laughing in the most stressful situations. Have you ever had the urge to laugh uncontrollably and the most inappropriate times like at a funeral or when someone falls? I’ve laughed in both those scenarios. Scientific studies show that laughter can boost the immune system and alleviate stress by releasing endorphins in the brain. After prescribing laughing to his patients, Indian doctor, Madan Kataria founded the first laughter club in 1995. A 2003 article in Health Magazine reported there are now over 60 laughter clubs in the U.S.

In her book, I’d Rather Laugh, Linda Richman (the real person behind the Saturday Night Live character in Coffee Talk with Linda Richman created by her son-in-law, Mike Myers.) talks about losing her father at eight years old, being raised by her mentally ill mother who was eventually institutionalized, losing her twenty-nine-year old son in a car accident, and having to spend eleven years inside her apartment because she suffered with agoraphobia. She says, “No matter what horrible thing has happened, life still offers you humor if you want it....regardless of how low you feel today, someday you’ll find something that will make you laugh your head off.” Through her writing and workshops, she helps others find the inherent humor in everyday life.

Something that always lightens me up is watching reruns of the TV show, Bewitched, where anything is possible with just a twitch of the nose or a wave of the hand from Samantha Stephens, the happy good witch with extraordinary powers and charm who lights up a room with her smile and wit. Her all too serious and worrisome husband, Darrin, doesn’t ever figure out how much fun life could be if he just allowed Samantha to fully unleash the power of the Goddess within her. It’s a good reminder to bring out the Samantha inside of us as often as possible.

Next time you start magnifying and internalizing all of your problems as we all do from time to time, listen to the Goddess inside. I’m sure she’s telling you, “Twitch your nose and lighten up, already!”

5 Ways to Lighten Up:

• In difficult times, find isolated moments that are funny, regardless of the big picture.

• Give yourself permission to laugh and have fun in any circumstance.

• Watch funny movies and TV shows and appreciate the masters at work.

• Don’t take yourself, your ego or job too seriously; they can all be gone tomorrow.

• Try to get a baby to laugh—watch and listen to how funny you can be!

Excerpted from the book: The Goddess of Happiness, A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss

Debbie Gisonni, aka The Goddess of Happiness™, is an author (The Goddess of Happiness: A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss and Vita’s Will: Real Life Lessons about Life Death & Moving On), speaker, happiness expert and columnist for iVillage.com. Contact: http://www.goddessofhappiness.com

Copyright, All Rights Reserved, Debbie Gisonni

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