Laughter is free, fun, and good for your health. Here are some of the things laughter can do for you, and some ways to bring more joy into your life.

Benefits of Laughter

1. Boost your immune system. Research on the connection between laughter and physical health is still ongoing, but some benefits are clear. Laughing helps to fight stress and may enhance your immune response. This may make you more resistant to colds and other illnesses.
2. Diminish pain. Laughing is an effective way to decrease pain. Many individuals living with chronic pain report that humor helps make their experiences more bearable. Some hospitals even offer laughter therapy to complement conventional treatments for cancer and other conditions.
3. Get a little workout. Every time you chuckle, you boost your heart rate and increase your circulation, which burns more calories than just sitting still. You still need to exercise, but every little bit helps.
   

4. Improve your mood. Hilarity has a powerful effect on your emotional state. A good laugh instantly relaxes your whole body. Plus, those good feelings last, and may make you feel more positive for hours afterward.
   
5. Enhance resilience. Learning to see the humor in difficult events is an excellent coping mechanism. Having a flexible outlook will help you bounce back faster from disappointments.
   
6. Strengthen relationships. Taking pleasure in each other’s company draws people closer together. Laughing together helps us to connect, share happy memories, and appreciate the good things around us.
   
7. Spread joy to others. Laughing is almost as contagious as yawning. You’re bound to have a good effect on those around you if you use humor appropriately. Smiling and laughing also make you appear more approachable so you’ll get plenty of opportunities to cheer up others.
   

Ways to Laugh More in Your Daily Life

1. Smile.

It’s easier to break out laughing when you’re already smiling. Make a habit of relaxing your face into a subtle smile. You’ll boost your mood and start to notice more things to smile about naturally.

1. Watch funny movies and other media. It’s always good to learn from the experts. Watch great comedy films, read cartoons, or visit a comedy club.
   
2. Look for the humor in ordinary situations. Cultivate a jovial outlook. Observe your surroundings so that you notice the unexpected and incongruous events of daily life. Practice exaggerating a typical conversation so that it becomes funny.
   
3. Take yourself less seriously. You can be conscientious and light-hearted. Learn to poke fun at yourself and your idiosyncrasies. Keep minor setbacks in perspective.
4. Practice being silly. If you have children or pets, join in their games or make up silly stories to tell them. Put a whimsical decoration like a funny calendar or wind-up toy in your office or study to amuse you.
   
5. Share laughter with the people around you. Seek out people whom you find funny. Take a break at work to join in with people who are obviously having a good time. Tell your spouse a funny story from your day when you get home.
   
6. Apply humor to challenging situations. Humor is even more important on tough days. You can recognize a serious situation and act responsibly while considering how your circumstances might appear funny in the future or if it was happening in a movie.
   

Improve your quality of life by laughing more. Laughter is good for your health and easy to share with everyone around you.

 photo credit: Weird Beard

Getting energy to do the things in life that you want is not always easy. You need to make sure that you are doingall that you can to keep your energy levels up and to gain the energy that you want and need for a better life.

Figure out a good plan and use the law of attraction to make energy work for you. Do not get frustrated and think about what you can do to make things better. Figure out what you can do to be happier and healthier in life. Having the law of attraction on your side is something that you can depend on. It makes no difference what you are doing and as long as you are working hard to be who you want to be.

There is nothing wrong with going after your dreams. The one thing that you really need is to have energy to make things happen for you. Channeling your own energy to make your dreams come true is something that you should be aware of. Learning about the laws of attraction can be something that you get excited about and it is going to make things better for you in the end.

The law of attraction means that you are able to make thing work for you. If you are serious about being someone and doing something that you want in life, you should work with the laws of attraction. Being able to apply these rules to your life is going to help you be a better person. Figure out what is going to make you happy in life. What are your goals and expectations? If you are sure that, you can make these goals happen for you there are going to be great things ahead.

Gaining Happiness in Life By Using The Law of Attraction

Appling the rules of attraction in life are something that you should work hard to do. Gaining happiness in life is something that you should work hard for. You need to make things better in life so that you are not wasting your time losing energy. When you are feeling good and having a positive attitude, you will
find it much easier to get where you want and have all of your dreams come true. There is no better feeling than being successful. With the law of attraction working for you there will be endless opportunities waiting in life for you.

When you are thinking about good things and doing what you can to be positive you will see that you are going to have more energy for the things that you want the most in life. There is no reason for just sitting back and letting life happen for you. When you are serious about being energized in life you need to work with the law of attraction and be on the lookout for great things.

Getting ahead in life is something that we all want. There is just no reason not to believe in the power of law of attraction. It is all a state of mind and how you look at life. When you are doing all that you can to be happy and to gain the energy that is most important to you, it is going to make things easier for you in life. You will be full of life and ready to take on any challenge that may come your way. This is going to be something that you should be proud of and that will get you through any problem that may come up.

photo credit: h.koppdelaney , Pink Sherbet Photography

The Power of Positive Thinking

photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

Every self-help guru on the planet will tell you that the way to experience happiness, prosperity, and health is through the doorway of positive thinking. And while that’s easy to talk about when all is going great in your life, it may not be much comfort to you if things are crashing and burning all around you.

But the self-help gurus are right about the power of positive thinking. You can begin to take control of your thoughts and guide them in the direction you want your life to go. Your thoughts are the driving force toward your destiny.

Use these simple strategies to harness the power of positive thinking and heading toward the happiness you crave:

1. Smile and be thankful. Much of what you experience in life depends on what you pay attention to. Each day, some things will go right and some things will go wrong. If you pay more attention to the things that go right and dwell on those things, you’ll experience more happiness.

* Smile and greet everyone you meet warmly. Smiles are contagious, and you’ll instantly begin to feel a difference inside yourself.

* Pause throughout the day to think about things that you are grateful for. The more you practice gratitude, the better you’ll feel about life and about yourself.

2. Surround yourself with positive people. Most people who soar to incredible heights of accomplishment in their lives do so because they surround themselves with positive, encouraging people. It’s hard to have a positive outlook when everyone around you is complaining all the time.

* If you surround yourself with people who routinely seek the good inside of you, you’ll begin to do the same. Spend less time with negative people and more time with those who speak words of support into your life. If you do, you’ll experience greater power, self-confidence and joy.

3. Think constructively. For positive thinking to truly make a difference in your life, you must replace negative thoughts as they occur. Most important, however, is the need to get whatever benefits you can out of the negative thought before you erase it from your mind.

* Instead of ignoring your negative thought and hoping it will go away, ask yourself if the critic inside of you is trying to teach you something valuable. Take note of the lesson, and then quickly discard the negative thought. Replace it with a positive perspective on the same situation.

* Whenever you experience negative thinking, ask yourself: “What else could this mean?” If someone treats you unfairly, it could mean that they don’t like you very much. But it probably means they’re just having a bad day. How can you help? Do you see how this question can change your entire outlook?

4. Use positive affirmations. Often, when faced with a stressful situation, we resort to a pattern of thinking and behaving that has become a habit. How do you create new habits that support your success instead of sabotaging it? Positive affirmations are the key.

* Write out the things you want in life and the qualities you want to possess. Write these statements in the present tense, and use positive language. Repeat these statements to yourself over and over again. Do this every day, and before long you’ll strongly believe the words of the affirmation you’ve created for yourself.

* If a habit of thinking is holding you back, what’s stopping you from creating a new habit? Try this today and experience its power for yourself.

The negative thoughts of the critic inside of you serve a valuable purpose. Things aren’t always rosy, and it’s important to learn from your experiences so that you don’t make the same mistakes. However, you can begin to harness the power of positive thinking today. Apply these simple strategies to move closer to the joy and success you deserve.

The Law of Attraction and Your Personal Relationships

Your personal relationships are vital to your happiness. You do not want to fill your life with hate and people that bring you down. You in fact want to keep the people that make you happiest and give you the motivation that you are looking for in life.  When you are serious about having a good relationship with someone you need to use the law of attraction to make it work.

The law of attraction is going to show you how to have fun with those around you.  When you are looking for someone to share your feeling with and to laugh and love with you want to use the law of attraction to find just the right person.  There are so many differences in people and sometimes this is not a bad thing.  When you are looking to make a relationship better, you will need to make sure that you are doing everything to be more motivated with your personal relationships.

The Law of Attraction Can Help You in Your Personal Life

Listen to your inner feelings. When you are listening to your instincts, you will feel more confident in the decisions that you are making.  You have to be confident in who you are and what you want in life.  Being prepared for life and all that can come your way is important.  Figure out what you want and then go for it.  Letting the law of attraction help you be more successful in your personal life will be one way to get to where you need to be.

Believe in who you are and what you do in life.  There are so many things that you can do to ensure that you are happy with your relationships.  If you find
yourself in a bad relationship that makes you feel uncomfortable, you need to think about the law of attraction and what it can do for you.  Being confident in what you deserve is important. You need to remember that you are valuable and that you deserve the very best.  Get out there and make your life just what you want and so much more.

Figure out what you want to change if anything about your personal relationships.  Is everything, as you want it to be?  Are there problems that make it hard for you to love the person that you are in a relationship with?  Never settle for anything less than what you deserve.  You are the only one that is in control of your life and the relationships that you are in.  Be composed and in control of your life.  This is going to make you feel great and give you the encouragement that you need to be happy in life with your personal relationships.

Remember that you are the only one that can make decisions for yourself.  You need to know that you are the one that knows what is best for you.  The law of attraction is going to help you figure out who you are and what you need in life.  This law is going to be something that shows you how to be more confident in what you do and who you are.  When you are positive all the time and think about the things that you want it is going to give you strength that is needed to make your personal life better and more fulfilled.

It is important to have healthy relationships in life.  This means that the law of attraction will be there for you and give you the support that you need to make good decisions about your personal relationships.

photo credit: Nick Smarto, Laura Borges-Ribeiro

photo credit: anitakhart

Goal setting is one of the best ways to get ahead in life – but only if you’re setting your goals effectively!

Are you trying for unattainable goals that you aren’t really passionate about? Do you quickly give up on your goals? It can be easy to get discouraged, but you don’t have to end up there!

With the right strategies, you can set goals that really matter to you and meet them more easily than you ever imagined.

Most importantly, your goals should be yours and not someone else’s. The goals that your parents, friends, and family members have for you may not be the same for yourself.

What’s Important to YOU?

Too many people set goals to be rich, write a best-selling novel, or marry someone who’s famous, wealthy, or otherwise important or influential. If those are truly your dreams, there’s nothing wrong with them. However, if they’re just society’s dreams – and not yours – let them go, and think about what really matters to you. What do you want out of your life?

When you’re setting goals, stop and ask yourself, “What will bring me joy, beauty and happiness?”

Your goals might include things like:

• Getting married
• Having children
• Finishing college
• Starting your own business
• Changing careers
• Helping others
• Buying your own home
• Having material wealth
• Being physically fit
• Attaining spiritual enlightenment

No matter what you choose or how many goals you have, you can reach them if you’re dedicated and committed to making them happen.

Making Your Dreams Come True

Once you’ve decided what really matters to you and you set your goals, you can begin to make them a reality in your life. Although your goals will take some work, watching them come into fruition is exciting and satisfying!

Follow these tips to help you achieve your goals:

1. Keep your focus. Keep a picture of the life you desire at the forefront of your mind. When frivolous things try to distract you, as they will, remember to make choices according to what’s really important to you.
   • Take action toward your goal every day.
   • When challenges arise, getting discouraged won’t change anything, so seek solutions that can put you back on track. Just stay focused and adjust your plans as necessary.
2. Be open to change. Your goals aren’t set in stone. If you choose to change what you’re focused on and set a new goal, that doesn’t mean you’ve given up on your goals. It only means you’ve seen that your goals need to change, just as you change. That’s a sign of growth and wisdom.
3. Set realistic timelines. Some goals can be met in a day or a week, but larger goals often take months or years. When you set goals, it’s important to be realistic about how long you expect them to take.
   • If it’s too far away, you might procrastinate, or you may not start at all.
   • If it’s too soon, you’ll be frustrated and discouraged if you don’t make your deadline.
4. Divide your goal into small steps. Another great way to reach your goals is to divide big goals into smaller ones. Each small goal is one step, or one task, on the way to achieving your ultimate goal.
   • Set individual deadlines for these small steps. This way, you’ll always be moving forward, one step at a time.
   • For example, if your goal is to own your own business, there are things you’ll need to look into like licensing, income, credit, location, and others. Each one of these tasks is one step. You could also subdivide these steps into even smaller goals.
5. Avoid giving up. Many people give up on their goals just before they reach them, not even realizing how close they were. Never give up! You may be closer than you think.

These strategies will enable you to not only reach your goal, but also enjoy the journey along the way – all without getting overwhelmed!

When you concentrate on the positive, your life will be positive. It sounds simple enough, but many times people let negative emotions get the better of them. You have the power within you to break those negative habits. Once the negativity is gone, you can speed up the whole process of dream achievement.

Try using the following ways to speed up your law of attraction results:

1. Feel strong emotions in your visualizations. When you visualize the results you want, put your whole heart into the process. If you go after something half-heartedly, whether physically or through visualizations, your results are half-hearted also.

• Feel the happiness in living the life you dream, the pride in your achievements that got you there, and the pure joy of success.

2. Focus on the present. See yourself successful in the present rather than the future. If you keep thinking about the good things that are coming tomorrow, they’ll never be here today! Take full advantage of today to do what you can to achieve your dreams. Even small steps add up to big achievements.

3. Use vision boards effectively. Whenever you see these pictures, let the positive emotions of your meditations sweep over you. Thoroughly enjoy them in the present moment. Take time to feel your emotions without holding anything back.

4. Exhibit the qualities of your dream life. Determine the qualities of your dream life and exemplify them today. For example, in your dreams, you may be confident and generous toward others. Show confidence and generosity now instead of waiting until after you’re successful, because showing them will, in fact, make them arrive sooner.

5. Keep your thoughts positive. Thinking positively allows you to bring on a mindset of gratitude and abundance. Recognize when your mind starts to shift to negative thoughts and do whatever it takes to correct the problem.

• Focus on positive affirmations or self-talk to replace the negative thoughts as soon as they occur.

6. Avoid dwelling on any negative situation. The power of thought can alter any situation. Focusing on the negative attracts more negative back to you. Alternatively, focusing on the positive is more likely to result in positive outcomes. So whenever a challenge arises, seek a solution and take action to overcome it rather than wallowing in self-pity.

7. Be as clear as you can. Strive for the utmost clarity when focusing on your dreams, as every detail makes it more real to you. This will allow you to give all of your positive energy to your thoughts as you visualize.

8. Believe in the process. You’re belief in the process of the law of attraction is vital to your success. You might strive for complete positivity, but if you have doubts about the outcome deep down, then you’ll still allow negative thoughts to influence you. You have to believe in the process because anything that’s possible can happen for you with the right mindset.

9. Be open to receive. Are you ready to receive the results you desire? For example, if you wish for a new love, do you have room for them in your life? If you remain open to the universe, it will send back what you desire most in the world.

The law of attraction entails a lot more than just sitting around thinking about what you want. The key element is inspired action. When you believe you can achieve, you’ll naturally take action to get what you want. And this is where it all comes together. When your mind and your actions are in harmony, nothing can stop you!

However, whether you like it or not, the world is ever changing. If you don’t learn to change with it, your life will eventually become stale and unexciting. If everything stays the same your whole life, you won’t be reaching your ultimate calling and your level of happiness and success will be mediocre at best.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to learn to conquer your resistance to change. You’ll learn that it doesn’t have to be a huge insurmountable task; you can work slowly and efficiently to gradually allow the change into your life.

Instigate Changes Daily

One thing you can do to start getting used to the idea of change is to familiarize yourself with the feeling on a daily basis. These don’t need to be large changes, but when you make the effort to step out of your comfort zone a little each day, you’ll start to see life from a different perspective.

When you make small changes, you’ll actually evolve your daily routine. You’ll discover quicker and more efficient ways of doing things. Also, since you’re engaging in small changes, it won’t feel as shocking to you and you likely won’t feel an intense urge to resist.

The small changes can be as simple as trying different kinds of toothpaste, or reorganizing the files on your computer in a different manner. They seem like boring tasks but this will set you up for a renewed mindset.

Take A Different Route To Work

You may be used to taking the same route to work every day simply because it’s the shortest. Your brain then becomes so used to the routine that you’re basically on autopilot.

Taking a different route may take you longer to get there, but it’ll open you up to change. You’ll have to think about where you’re driving and remain aware of your surroundings.

Eat Different Foods

You may think that you already know what you like and don’t like. It’s easy to fall into the routine of eating basically the same meals each and every week. However, your diet can be an excellent way to bring about change in your life in a non-threatening way.

There are endless recipes and combinations of food out there. There are also many styles and cultures available when it comes to cooking your food. You can make a goal with yourself to try adding something new to your diet every week. You may end up not enjoying what you ate, but when you’re trying 52 new meals per year, you’re bound to find some new gems!

Remind Yourself What Change Has Brought You

At the end of the day, remember all the wonderful new experiences and relationships that change has brought you. While there are inevitably bad things, there are sure to be many great things as well. When you concentrate on the positive, you’ll keep up a good attitude.

Keep in mind that change is good for you. Since nothing in life is static, you need to make change a normal part of your life. You need to be willing to move yourself forward to reach your ultimate goals. When you do, you’ll find that you’re happier and more fulfilled in life!

The Power Of The Present

The first thing you should do to take action toward a better life is to realize the power that the present moment holds. There are different ways you can truly come to this realization, but the most popular and widely accepted method is meditation.

Meditation allows you to clear your mind. It’s refreshing to focus on the present moment when you find the time to sit down and relax without any worries about the past or future.

This personal reflection time will allow you to sort out your inner thoughts. On the flipside, take note of the number of times your mind tries to distract you from the present moment. You’ll be surprised to see just how many times your mind steals the present moment from you, in order to dwell on the past or future.

Enjoying The Journey

Your journey is all you have. Your goals are important, but it’s the path you take toward your goals that yield many fruits. You must be willing to enjoy your life and live consciously, even if you haven’t yet reached your goals.

If you have a lofty goal, such as becoming a doctor or the CEO of a large company, realize that it will take much planning and years of experience. Once you reach your goal, you may feel fulfilled, but your life mustn’t be unhappy and miserable until you get there!

You can remain happy by concentrating on the present and enjoying the journey. As you make positive progress towards your goal, you’ll know that you’re always one step closer.

Envisioning Your Future Self

While you should spend a great deal of time enjoying the present moment, you can add to your happiness by envisioning your future self.

Reflect on the feelings associated with the successful completion of your goals. Think about the traits you’ll exhibit when you have the life you desire. Now bring those traits into your present.

If you’re studying to be a doctor, you’re working long days for little or no pay. You’re studying at all hours with little sleep. You might feel almost tortured. That’s not the desired life you dreamt of having!

This is when you should be proud of the steps you’ve taken so far. After all, what you’re learning now will shape your future, so you might as well approach today with joyful gratitude!

Live The Life You Want Now

Whether you maintain complete focus on your ultimate goals or not, it’s important to live the life you desire right now. You don’t know how many days you’ve been allotted on this earth, and you owe it to yourself to make the most of them!

Keep these tips in mind:

* Even on busy days, take at least some time for yourself
* Don’t waste your time on people who don’t believe in you and your abilities
* Adopt a “glass is half full” mentality

Most importantly, you need to believe in yourself. Some people are literally afraid of success. They’ll put off action toward their dreams indefinitely because they fear success and fear that they’re incapable.

You mustn’t fall into this negative pattern. Don’t waste your time on dead ends. Instead, take action, learn your lessons, and enjoy the journey!

I share my money with those who inspire me and those who need it more than I. I give generously with no thought of a “return on my investment.” I give simply for the joy of giving.

I share the fruits of my talents with others. When I learn how to build something, I build them for others as well as myself. It is the same way with any craft or skill I develop – I share what I can do with others and we all benefit.

I share my knowledge of the world around me with those it can help. I give advice and mentor others freely so that they, too, can prosper and live a fulfilled life.

I give unlimited love, support and encouragement to those whose lives cross with my own. My time is valuable not only to me, but also to those I share it with.

In many ways, each and every day, I strive to bring joy to others. Some of my actions may seem trivial, but they can brighten someone’s day. For instance, when I make eye contact with a stranger on the street and give them a warm smile, it may be the only warmth they receive that day.

I know that I can make a joyful difference in the lives of others.

Today, I plan to focus on others and do what I can to bring a ray of sunshine into their lives.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I share my money with those who need a helping hand?
2. When was the last time I went out of my way to help someone?
3. How can I spread joy in my conversations?

If you’re unhappy and emotionally drained after a break up, you might not be feeling too optimistic about throwing yourself back out there. However, opening yourself up to new opportunities is the only way you’re going to reach the happiness you seek.

The best thing you can do is to educate yourself well enough to know what to look for and what to avoid. It’s not a fail-proof plan, but by following certain strategies, you can increase your chances of a lasting relationship.

Try taking these actions to avoid negative relationships:

1. Avoid falling back on the wrong person. If you’re feeling particularly lonely, you may feel the urge to fall back on someone that’s not right for you. Deep down you know that this person is not “the one” and yet you come crawling back anyway trying to convince yourself that maybe the person can change. Chances are, they won’t.

2. Spend time getting to know your partner. Focus on getting to know your partner first before getting too serious in the relationship. Try to have some of the heavy conversations near the beginning of the relationship. This way if you hit major snags you can either decide to work through it or move on quickly.

3. Learn your partner’s history. Are there disturbing events in his or her past? It’s clearly best to avoid people who have a history of violence or intense addiction. If they do and you choose to proceed with the relationship, be extra cautious and set the ground rules from the beginning.

4. Avoid manipulative people. You might not realize it at first, but if you find that you’re being manipulated often, it can prove to be a serious drain on your relationship. If your partner is controlling and always has a selfish motive for their actions, it isn’t the best relationship to be in. Recognize these red flags when you see them and get out before you get too attached.

5. Make a checklist. Take some time to make a list of the qualities you’d like to see in a partner. Include qualities you like as well as qualities that you dislike. This checklist will help you determine whether the relationship is right for you. Here’s a tip: avoid writing down superficial characteristics such as looks. First and foremost, you must be attracted to his or her personality because the superficial things can and will change as you age.

Relationships can be difficult; it’s just a reality of human nature. The fact that many relationships end shouldn’t have any impact on your hope for the future. There are plenty of people out there that will be a good match, so it’s okay to avoid relationships that sap your soul.

Remember: you do have a choice! Focus on finding the right partner for you and then take action to make it the positive relationship you’ve always dreamed of!