We Are HAPPY Because We Laugh July 12, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Mindfulness, People.trackback
Despite the sorrows and challenges that he and the Tibetan people have faced, the Dalai Lama generally is seen with a twinkle in his eye and a slight smile on his lips.
Seeing him smile, even in a photograph, makes me smile ~ automatically.
The corners of my mouth curve upwards without conscious effort on my part . . . and my mood follows suit.
Seeing someone else’s happiness, even in a photograph, elevates my happiness.
Smiling to myself for any reason, and even for no reason, has the same effect.
Don’t believe me?
Try it for youself . . .
SMILE!
What happened to your mood?
Did you feel happier while wearing that smile on your face?
Not sure? Try it again . . .
SMILE!
In addition to seeing the Dalai Lama’s smile, or smiling myself, other triggers which elevate my mood include: hearing children laugh at play, or watching roly-poly puppies, curious kittens, and bouncing bunnies explore the world around them.
When I hear children laughing, I laugh ~ even if I don’t know why they are laughing. Their laughter, standing alone, makes me laugh. Often children repay the favor ~ joining in my laughter, without knowing its cause.
What’s the point? Just this:
* Happiness is contagious, and travels at the speed of light (or sound).
* When we laugh and smile, our mood improves and daily stress fades away.
* When we laugh and smile, others are apt to follow our lead.
In short, we increase our own happiness, and the happiness of those around us, by remembering to smile and laugh as we proceed through our daily routines.
So smile!
Happiness is FREE for the asking!
Quote: We do not laugh because we are happy . . . we are happy because we laugh. ~ William James
No rules. Just write!
Related posts: Cultivating Happiness . . . not Hedonism * Dalai Lama: Inner Peace & Happiness * Generosity of Spirit * Good Vibrations
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Spirit Lights The Way 
This is true,he does always smile and have a twinkle in his eye.. It is also true that laughter is the best medicine for all aches and ailments
Norman Cousins cured an incurable disease by laughing! Laughter is not a luxury:
Just thought of another saying ‘ Laugh and the World laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone’
also true
I agree, but many don’t. Some people would rather commiserate with misery than be around happy upbeat people. Maybe it makes them feel better about their own lives?
Smiling and laughing are contagious!
They are to me. If BFF gets in a bad mood . . . I act silly until he has no choice but to laugh at me. His laughter dispels the negative energy swirling around and through him and breaks the spell.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Yes, a child’s laughter will do it for me every time.
And a nice Merlot, of course.
Nothing like sitting in the garden, sipping a Merlot, while watching bunnies, puppies, and children at play. 😀
Some people are so miserable and you feel like shouting to them just smile!
I agree! Some people pride themselves on their self-created misery:
I am a natural comedian. I prefer to be the one who makes others laughs and smile.
I enjoy doing that too . . . in unlikely places . . . like the grocery store . . . or the bank . . . or wandering down the street singing do~wah~ditty~ditty~dum~ditty~do! 😀
I smile at every opportunity 🙂
That’s why the name of your blog is PERFECT for you . . . the laughing housewife! 😀
I love to smile. People see my smile and say…’why are you smiling?’
sometimes I smile at some small bit of nature happening in front of me…sometimes of an inward thought…most of the time because I felt a smile inside and it needed to get out! :):)
Thanks Nancy and yes here are some smiles 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’m the same. I smile for any reason . . . or no reason. I smile because it makes me feel GOOD!
I’ll see your 3 smiles . . . and raise you one! 😀 😀 😀 😀
As a CFO in a School District, I was prepped to meet with a father of an international student. He was angry because his daughter wanted to go to a different Canadian city. Because our Government approved placements of these students, we couldn’t simply change her domicile on our own volition. He was livid.
My prep? In his culture, when he is angry, he will smile.
That was a meeting that this dyslexic will not forget! 😀
I bet angry smiles do NOT radiate from the heart. 😀
I can usually find something amusing in life to smile about. 🙂
Life is better with laughter. 😀
Love this post! It’s so true! And we could learn from a child’s willingness, no eagerness to laugh at anything and everything!
Listening to children giggle is one of the most wonderful sounds in the world. 😀
A timely reminder. I wrote this small stone for the river of stones last January:
Happiness is infectious
a smile provokes a smile
a joke shared
a kindness given
a cheerful song
appreciation, interest, praise
all help to lift the spirit.
Beautiful, Vivienne. Thanks for sharing . . . and caring. 😀
So true!
If you’re happy and you know it . . . laugh out loud! 😀
I’m sure laughing helps trim the waistline. You can be sure…
i’m laughing all the time…hugmamma. 🙂
Laughing DOES trim the waistline in two ways:
A hearty belly laugh burns more calories than frowning, and laughing helps eliminate the nasty stress hormone CORTISOL which is a “fat magnet” (adding unwanted padding around our mid-sections).
So laughing is a secret weapon in our efforts to remain slim and trim! And happy. 😀
Already I’m smiling… happy begets happy! 🙂
Reading your comment made me smile . . . automatically. 😀
I love this. Thanks for the reminder.
You’re welcome, Christine. Life is better with laughter. 😀
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Great reminder!