Laugh a little more

"All these benefits sound like great antidotes to many of the challenges LDS singles face.  Yet how many of us actually get enough laughter in our lives?  We need to laugh a little more than we do."

While deciding the topic schedule for this year, I consulted the Internet for a list of holidays.  I thought the appearance of a show on or very close to a holiday might spark an idea.

That’s when I saw something I had never before seen.  Today, 24 January 2018, is a holiday.  Can you guess what that holiday is?  OK, I won’t keep you in suspense.  It’s Global Belly Laugh Day.

Yes, that’s right.  And if you just broke out into gut-busting laughter, then you’ve already got it.  But if you were more like me, then you just snickered, smiled, and thought, “Uh, yeah. OK.”

Having just learned about the existence of Global Belly Laugh Day, I of course know nothing about it.  So I started looking.  And what I found made me think about LDS singles everywhere.

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A little background

Apparently, Elaine Helle of Portland, Oregon, started GBLD back in 2006.  The idea?  Create a holiday centered around laughter to combat the winter doldrums and gray skies that January brings to many areas.  You can find more details on this YouTube video.

I like the idea.  Laughter has many positive health benefits, including increased relaxation and decreased stress hormones.  Laughter also strengthens the immune system, elevates mood, and increases creativity, self-esteem, and optimism.

All these benefits sound like great antidotes to many of the challenges LDS singles face.  Yet how many of us actually get enough laughter in our lives?  We need to laugh a little more than we do.

Of course, I’m all for seriousness in the proper contexts.  But I’m also for balance, and that means including some more laughter in our lives when that context is proper.

A little moderation

And yes, I know what some of you are thinking.  You’ve whipped out your sticks or your phone as a prelude to quoting D&C 88:69, which says in part, “Cast away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you.”  Or maybe you were heading to D&C 59:15, which in part says, “... not with much laughter, for this is sin ....”

Well, I have just one word for you.  Actually, I have two.  Whatever, dude.

Seriously, I’m not talking about anything exceeding moderation here.  Anything in excess is probably not that great for you.  And, yes, that includes laughter.

I can remember times in college when friends and I became so engulfed in riotous laughter that it felt intoxicating.  Excess laughter can lead you to forget your propriety.  You can say and do some pretty stupid things under the influence of excess laughter.

That’s clearly not what we’re advocating here.  We’re promoting an approach like the one taken by the Prophet Joseph Smith.  He was always one for merriment, but he also knew how to work hard and when it was time for each.  His life was far from easy, but laughter provided a good inoculate to the pessimism and negativity that could have clouded his perspective.

The late Elder Joseph Wirthlin understood that approach.  His last Conference address “Come What May, and Love It” describes that very attitude.  If you’ve never read it, give it a go.  This classic might open your eyes to a new way of living.

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A little indulgence

So in that light and the spirit of the day, here’s some videos. This first video is a compilation of old Jack in the Box commercials.  They certainly don’t make them any more like they used to.  My favorite is the first one.

Here’s one more Jack commercial produced by a fan.  You gotta love the Jack Nicholson voice coming out of the drive-thru speaker and Shawn the Sheep and friends in the car.

For all you Frozen fans, check out this parody video entitled, “Let it Goat!”

Being a cat lover, I have to throw in some cat videos.  Let’s start with some of my favorite Dear Kitten videos.  (For the uninitiated, these are Friskies cat food commercials and most entertaining.)

Then of course, we have a compilation of amateur videos of cats performing funny antics. (Warning: Some scenes contain dogs!)

And finally we have a video compilation of 6-year-old comedian Nathan Bockstahler as he made his way through the hoops of America’s Got Talent.  I just love the way he plays with the judges, especially Simon.

And if none of those did it for you, find something that will.  Laughter has so many positive benefits that life without enough of it isn’t much of a life.  Don’t let that be your life!  Make the conscious choice to find the humor around you and laugh a little more.  When you do, you’ll have more joy in your journey.

You can listen to the monologue from today's episode of Joy In The Journey Radio here.  Please also feel free to continue the conversation by leaving a comment below.  Want to hear more?  Listen to the whole show by going to the show page for this episode!