MORE IDEAS FOR GETTING STARTED ON THE RESILIENCE RX

 Continuing on ways to fulfill your prescription for resilience. Our third action (actions one and two were discussed yesterday) is to Laugh it off!

Who doesn't love a good laugh? There is a reason a good laugh makes us feel better. Humor is a hit of pleasure that spikes dopamine and other feel-good brain chemicals. It increases positive emotions, broadening our thinking. With a more open mind, it's easier to engage in the reappraisal and perspective-shifting that help us deal with tough stuff. Humor has been linked to the lowering of both anxiety and catastrophizing thought patterns. It also helps you feel closer to others, which shores up your support network, another big factor in resilience. Science suggests that memes or jokes that take direct aim at pain points can be especially effective because they manage to combine the positive (laughing, humor) with the negative (struggle).

Humor...

• increases postive emotions
• broadens our thinking
• makes it easier to shift perspective

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BEING ABLE TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF FOR YOUR HEALTH

I won't even ask if you have ever had a life situation that makes you cringe or feel dumb. I won't ask because we are all human and we have all had those situations. Did you know that laughing at yourself in those situations can give you a head-to-toes boost? Rachel Goldman, a NYC-based clinical psychologist has said, "Humor and laughter, when not motivated by belittling ourselves, can reduce stress hormones and relax the body."

Research also suggests that laughter may improve your memory as well as help build your resilience. Ms. Goldman went on to say, "The mind-body connection is real, the two are always sending each other signals. We can tweak a behavior or thought and it can directly impact how we feel."

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HAVE A GOOD LAUGH

Laughter is good medicine, and that is no joke! Studies show that laughter helps boost the body's immunity, eases pain, relives stress and lowers blood pressure. And think of this, laughter is free, it is without side effects and generally makes one feel better. If you have trouble being a happy person who laughs easily, make it a point to spend time with people who make you laugh and smile. It's good for your health!

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