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

Keep these ideas in mind to help you recover your optimism:

1. What does reality indicate? It’s easier to be most optimistic when a positive outcome is likely, but sometimes you need to know when to let go or to make a change.

* Taking positive action to produce a better outcome also boosts your optimism because you cease being a helpless victim of life’s circumstances.

2. Prioritize. Start by determining the most appropriate issues, situations and times to be optimistic about. Instead of chasing after many things, some of which may be unlikely, try focusing your energy on what’s most important.

3. None of us knows the future. How many times in your past has a situation yielded an unexpected outcome? Plenty of times! And many of those were probably positive experiences, too.

* Even if life seems full of situations that look less-than-promising, you never know what may actually end up happening. When you open your mind, you’re in a better emotional position to find optimism. And you’re wise to expect the best, because new possibilities lay around every corner.

4. Stay intent on your own passions. When we do what we love, we feel joy, and joy generates optimism.

* Whether you play a musical instrument, love working on cars, or enjoy pursuing any other activity, be sure to set aside time in your week for your hobby. If you can, enjoy some “me” time each day.

* Practicing your craft, hobby, or passion will help prevent you from hanging your hopes on another person, place, or thing. All the joy you need is within you and you’ll rediscover this moment by moment as you do what you love.

* Following your bliss also helps keep you in the present. The past has already passed. And the future hasn’t come yet. All you have this moment. Don’t you want to make the most of it? When you do, your future almost invariably turns out to be more to your liking also!

5. Open your mind to new possibilities. Maybe you were expecting a promotion that never came. Or perhaps you even lost your job. Now is a great time to explore other opportunities.

* Although you undoubtedly were looking forward to whatever didn’t happen, or were happy to avoid what did, the truth is that the future is in your hands.

* Maybe you always wanted to try freelancing, or making something with your hands for a living. Now is the time to run in that direction. Nothing is stopping you anymore, not even waiting around for a different dream to come to pass.

6. Remember, there’s always help. Whether you make use of your social network or see a licensed counselor, other people are there to support you as you move toward your next adventure.

* If you find yourself really feeling depressed, and nothing seems to work to banish it, you may want to check out professional counseling services. Therapists are trained to walk people through all sorts of life transitions and can definitely assist with yours.

Although Alexander Pope wrote, “Hope springs eternal,” you may also find it wise to recognize where to place your optimism and how to rediscover that feeling when you’re down.

If you open your mind to new possibilities and explore the tips above, you’ll be pleased to find that, once again, you’re looking toward the future with optimism and excitement!

 photo credit: gtall1

Mitchell Moore’s Famous Quote About Positivity

Mitchell Moore is believed to have once said, “Attitude is everything.” In other words, how you approach your day or a situation determines how that day or situation will go. Thinking positively is a fairly simple personal rule to remember. However, putting it into practice in your daily life can be more challenging

Peter McWilliams’ Thoughts on Positivity

“The road to positivity is strewn with the abandoned vehicles of the faint-hearted.” Peter McWilliams made this astute observation about the challenges of thinking positive. To translate this idea into everyday English: To be positive, you must persevere.

Norman Vincent Peale and The Power of Positive Thinking

Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking, formulated several fascinating thoughts about approaching life in a positive way. He said, ‘”We tend to get what we expect.’” One interpretation of this saying is that whatever we expect or believe will occur will indeed come to pass. So, if you believe that you’ll do well on a work project, you will. If you expect not to do well, then you likely won’t.
Dr. Peale also said, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” The beauty of this statement is that it gives incredible hope. The implication is that if you can take hold of your thoughts, you can think your way into success. Positivity rules again.

Positivity: Illustration and Discussion

Consistently thinking positive can be challenging. Maybe your self-confidence isn’t as strong as it could be. If this is the case, you may need to take a leap of faith to think positively. Perhaps you ponder, “But what if I make a fool of myself?” or, “Maybe my co-worker is smarter than I am.”

Consider this illustration:

You’re up for a promotion at work. How will you think about the situation? What do you believe about yourself as it relates to the possibility of receiving the promotion? Here are three ways to approach this matter:

1. Assume you won’t be selected for the job. After all, you didn’t get straight A’s in school. And that new Vice President hardly ever speaks to you. You think you won’t be chosen.
2. Decide you don’t care either way. Whether you get the promotion or not isn’t important. It doesn’t matter. This way of thinking demonstrates the easy way out. You don’t have to put any emotional energy into something when you don’t care.
3. Dare to think you’ll be selected to receive the promotion. You believe you’re smart enough to be chosen. And you know that you work hard, so others probably see that you’re a good candidate. You’ve decided to think positive!

How can you come out of this situation feeling fine, no matter what happens?

Let’s consider each approach to the possible promotion.

Most likely, if you respond like #1 and don’t receive the promotion, you won’t feel very positive. After all, not getting the promotion will now serve as confirmation of what you believe about yourself, that you won’t be successful. However, even if you do get the promotion, you may believe you don’t deserve it. Because of a negative approach, you may feel unhappy even if you get what you want.

If you react as in #2, then you don’t care either way. You’ve convinced yourself that nothing is important enough to invest in it. Your life goes on the same. When you don’t care about something, the end result is irrelevant. However, if the end result truly doesn’t matter, you may not particularly enjoy getting the promotion if you actually do. You’ve deprived yourself of joy by completely detaching from the situation.

But if you react like #3, you go into the situation feeling hopeful, excited, and energized. If you’re chosen, you’ll be reinforced for your positive thinking and re-energized for the work ahead of you.

Even if you aren’t selected, you’ll only experience brief disappointment. After a short letdown, you’ll remind yourself that with your intelligence and perseverance, something good will soon come along. You simply can’t lose by approaching life’s events with positive thinking.

Pondering positivity is worth your time. When you aren’t sure about how to think about a situation, remember Norman Vincent Peale’s quotes on approaching life in a positive way. Consider Peter McWilliams’s point and Mitchell Moore’s famous quote. Attitude truly is everything; with enough positivity, you can change your life.

You can have great joy during the busiest of times with some positive choices.

Joy comes from within, and taking control of your life brings you both confidence and joy. During the holiday season, though, it can seem like your life gets out of control very easily. There’s always so much to do, and people are generally more demanding of your time and energy.

Follow these steps to protect and preserve your mental health during the holidays:

1. Remember the value of quiet time. One of the biggest stressors you may have to deal with when the holidays are in full swing is the lack of personal time. It’s easy to get wrapped up in everyone else’s drama and not take any time for yourself. Take time for yourself so you have the energy to pour into others.
2. Take a few minutes each day to unwind and relax. You’ll be happier and more interested in doing things with others.
3. Find time to pursue your inner peace. You can pray, meditate, exercise, or just sit and watch some television or read a book. No matter what you do in your downtime, remember that having that time is vital.

The Busy Holiday Season is Only Temporary

The holidays require more of your time and effort, but the season will soon pass. Keep your head up when you’re doing all the extra things you have to do. Those extras will only be required for a few weeks. Things will be back to normal and your life’s balance will be more easily restored.

If you’re having trouble coping with the holiday season, do the things you’d normally do when the holidays are over. That way, you’ll feel more focused and your routine will be more familiar to you. For example, consider:

• Exercising each day to stay fit and work off accumulated stress
• Getting your work done on time, so you’re not frustrated and overly busy at home
• Keeping your house clean, so you have less to do after the holidays are over
• Eating right to provide your body with the fuel it needs for energy
• Planning something special so you can relax after the holidays are over

There are plenty of ways you can keep your mental health strong.

You can even say affirmations to yourself each day in order to help maintain a positive attitude. You may feel silly at first, but you’ll soon see the benefits of incorporating positive thinking into your daily routine. Take a few minutes each morning when you get up and before you go to bed to compliment yourself.

Your mental health and strength is very important to you and the people who rely on you. Because of that, you must keep yourself fresh and energized during the holidays. Focusing on what matters to you and paying attention to what’s really important go a long way toward keeping you mentally healthy.

photo credit: Tony the Misfit

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.

You will find that the law of attraction and positive thinking go hand and hand. You will find that there are a lot of ways that you can use the law of attraction to boast a positive attitude, however, you will want to consider that there are some things that you are going to have to do in order to keep the law of attraction working for you and learn how to think positive all the time. You can’t really be positive all the time, because there are times where weakness will prevail, but you will need to fight the urges and fight the need to bring negative energy into your life.

First you will need to use the law of attraction and lighten up a little bit. When you take yourself too seriously, you just look stupid. You will also find that humor will make you feel better and there are many physiological benefits from laughter. You will find that the minute you lighten up you will feel the stress and intention ease. You will also be more alert when you lighten up.

Don’t forget to laugh, and laugh often. There are going to be times through the process of the law of attraction that will get overwhelming, however, you will need to laugh just to laugh. You know a lot of people find that when they laugh thinks just seem to be a whole lot better, even at the worst of times.

If you really want to learn anything from the experience of using the law of attraction then you will need to learn how to appreciate the things that you have and be thankful. You need to show those who you care about that you also appreciate them because what you give to the world, you get from the world. For you to love, you need to give love. With that said, you will find life will get easier if you learn how to open minded and appreciate the things that you got.

Also, you need to expect that opportunity is just around the bay. You need to accept the amazing things that are offered to you and you need to make sure that you show others that you appreciate the opportunities. However, keep in mind that common sense is the perfect gift that any parent may give their child, so you need to use common sense in cases of opportunity.

Also, you need to learn how to listen to your good feelings. Most of the time you are right; consider the fact that you may know what is best for you after all. A lot of people will go against their intuition and each time that they do, they seem to get lost. It’s always best to put some trust and faith in yourself, because, with the law of attraction, you depend on it.

Finally, for this to work for you and for you to find a positive outlook on life, you need to wonder. You should wonder what it is that your life means to the rest of the universe (because everyone has a place and a purpose in life). You also need to take the time to just lay on the ground and watch the clouds. It’s always a good idea to bring yourself back to the childish wonders because it’s the only way to keep both feet on the ground.

If you find that you often slip into negative moods, you’re probably thinking that an attitude adjustment might help you. After all, a positive attitude not only helps you stay happy, but also enables you to accomplish your hopes and dreams.

One of the best ways to improve your overall attitude is to take every opportunity to say positive things to yourself. What you communicate to yourself through words, thoughts, and images are interpreted on a deeper level than you may realize.

When you engage in positive self-talk, you can connect with yourself on a subconscious level. This is also true of negative self-talk. If you’ve found it difficult to break a circle of negativity, it’s because you’re feeling negatively on a subconscious level. Positive self-talk can help turn this negativity around.

How You Can Engage In Positive Self Talk

The first step in adopting a more upbeat attitude is to notice when you’re using negativity. There might be times when you’re being negative without even realizing you’re doing it.

In the beginning, spend a day or two just being an active observer of your overall speech and thoughts. How do you talk about yourself? How often do you have a negative thought about yourself? Do you mentally beat yourself up when you make a mistake?

After you discover negativity in the way you’re talking to yourself, it’s time to take a step to correct it. First, try eliminating the negative. You can also try using different manners of speech with yourself. Instead of being so hard on yourself, give yourself the benefit of the doubt and be truthful.

You can then focus on replacing negativity with positive things you want to hear. In a situation where you would’ve ordinarily been negative, take the time to think of something you should be praised for instead.

You can even use a journal to record ideas of positive things you can say to yourself. Refer to it often and then use those ideas to combat negative thoughts.

You’ll also benefit from using more positive speech in general, even when you’re not talking in reference to yourself. Get in the habit of seeing the positive side of every situation. Seek solutions to your challenges and find the silver lining. These actions will help you focus on positive aspects.

Using Positive Self Talk Every Day

Once you get a hang of it, you can begin to bring positive self-talk into your life every single day. At the end of the day, compare how you feel to one of your previous days without positive self-talk.

Consciously think positive thoughts during as many moments as you can, even the ones that seem mundane, like when you’re brushing your teeth. You can seize that moment and make the most of it!

When you feel overcome with stress or fear, force yourself to take a step back and reevaluate your thinking. Tell yourself to relax and remind yourself that you’ll get through it no matter what.

How Positive Self Talk Can Shift Your Attitude

Positive self-talk can shift your attitude by changing your beliefs on a subconscious level. If you focus on a certain belief long enough, eventually the message will get through.

The benefits of a possible attitude are endless. You’ll enjoy having less stress in your life and more drive to achieve. You’ll feel happier. And it all starts with positive self-talk.

While you’re working on improving your attitude, look to affirmations for help. For example, if you truly want to have a great day, tell yourself that you’re already having a great day and believe it. Affirming the positive welcomes even more positive things into your life. With all this positivity, at some time or another, you’ll realize that your negative attitudes are gone for good!

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!

A negative attitude can hold you back from truly living your life. However, you don’t need to feel stuck because you can bring positive thoughts back into your life!

How Negativity Can Hold You Back

Negativity can hold you back in a number of ways. Have you heard the saying: “If you think you can’t, you’re right”? It’s true! Negative thoughts like this really do sabotage your efforts.

The good news is that you can gain control over how you think. When you’re expressing complaints and negativity all the time, it not only affects you, but it also affects the people around you. Negativity, itself, can be the reason why you create roadblocks that don’t really exist! So it’s time to choose the positive (and, yes, it is a choice!).

Manifesting A Positive Attitude

When you adopt a positive attitude, you open yourself up to the wonderful world of possibilities. When positive energy is in the air, you’ll be able to transform your negative feelings and maybe even bring others out of their negativity clouds.

Believe it or not, positive thinking is very powerful. It’s the driving force that steers your life into the direction of your dreams. Remember, your thoughts affect how you feel, and how you feel affects what you do, so if you can change your thoughts, you can change your outcome.

How To Develop A Positive Attitude

How can you change your attitude? It’s easier than you think.

Follow these tips to develop a positive attitude:

1. Visualize. When the negative thoughts come crawling into your mind, transform them with positive images. Visualize something that you find pleasing, peaceful, or exciting. Remember what your ultimate goals are and imagine what it feels like to achieve them.

2. Write it down. Keeping a journal has many positive effects. It helps you vent your frustrations, organize your life, and reflect on your innermost thoughts and feelings. Instead of focusing on the bad, use your journal to chronicle the things that have gone well in your life lately.

3. Relax. Negative feelings are bound to arise when you’re in a stressful state. It’s important to take time out of each day for yourself. This means that you need to adopt a relaxation method that works for you. Perhaps you can take a bath, go to church, attend a yoga class, or meditate. When you’re relaxed, a peaceful and positive mindset will likely overtake you.

4. Read and write affirmations. Grab a book with positive affirmations in it, or better yet, write your own. Affirmations are a powerful way to bring positive thoughts into your present state of well being. Affirmations are short statements in the present tense that remind you of positive attributes and goals in your life. Here’s an example: “I am strong and competent.”

5. Live for the moment. Live your life for the moment and let go of everything else going on in your life. Negative feelings can easily overwhelm you if you’re consumed by past failures or the fear of the future. When you concentrate on the present, your life becomes more peaceful and positive.

In the end, go easy on yourself. You don’t need to be your own worst critic, instead, try being your biggest advocate! Just concentrate on your well being and you will develop a more positive attitude.

These days we all could use some extra income! This article will give you an understanding of how positive thinking and the Law of Attraction are interrelated, as well as explain how you can use these principals for your financial benefit.

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is more than just being upbeat all the time. The term “optimistic” comes to mind; however, positive thinking is much more than just being hopeful, also. Positive thinking is the opposite of negative thinking.

Sounds simple right? Well it’s easier said than done!

Why It’s Important to Think Positively

I’m sure you know someone who’s a negative thinker. They’re usually down most of the time, get depressed easily, and have negative things happen to them recurrently.

Have you ever wondered why this happens? It’s because the negative thinker surrounds himself with negative energy, which attracts more negative things. His thoughts are in harmony with negativity, so that’s what he gets – more of the same!

Positive thinkers, on the other hand, think about encouraging things and surround themselves with positive energy. Their thoughts are in harmony with good things, so they attract more positive opportunities.

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you gravitate toward the outcome of situations because of your thought processes.

Therefore, when you think positively, you’ll make decisions based on that type of outcome, consciously or unconsciously. The same goes if you think negatively.

How to Use the Law of Attraction to Attract More Money

If you dwell on the negative – such as how bad the economy is or how tragic situations are – your thoughts, and therefore your decisions, take you down a path to negative outcomes.

However, when you think positively, you now have a fresh start to do something you really enjoy and your thoughts and decisions move you toward those goals.

Now is the time to start thinking positively in this financial downfall.