Laughter is the Best Medicine

Have you ever had those days, weeks, months, that just seem like they will never end? Yet, at the same time are coming to an end way too quickly? Sometimes it just feels like there is way more that needs to be done than can be accomplished in a 24 hour period and no matter how hard you try to work to get everything done, the time just seems to keep speeding up? Yea...me too! We've all had those days full of multiple coffee runs and little to no sleep. You get tired and become cranky. Your stress starts to build up like a snow ball and soon you become a ticking time bomb just waiting to be lit. Then something comes along to put the cherry on top and you explode. After that incident, I know we all look back wishing we could have handled it differently but in the moment that is the only way to relieve all the stress that is pent up inside of you. But have you ever thought about what to do to not let it get to that point? The truth is, most people don't. They only think about a solution when the problem is inevitable not before the problem even exists.

I'm going to share one of my life secrets that I have learned so far in college. It's top secret so mum's the word. Here it is: Laughter! It's that simple. Laughter can make the darkest days better, it can turn a grumpy cat into a happy one, it can make the most daunting of tasks seem manageable. Laughter is powerful stuff. So be careful with it and use it liberally.

But seriously, laughter is some of the best medicine. In the midst of a never ending week, on the brink of finals, throughout the many drafts of a major paper, laughter is something that will help carry you through. Many people try coffee, energy drinks, and 5 hour energy and only end up more tired after the initial caffeine wears off. I came to this realization the other night. I was just laying around eating pizza with some of my best friends in college and we were just laughing about the most random things. In that moment, while tears were streaming down my face from laughing so hard, I realized that I was completely carefree. I know there is the whole scientific reason why laughter makes you feel better but beyond that I think your soul needs it. There are times where my soul craves laughter like my stomach craves chocolate.

So instead of isolating yourself when you get stressed and continuing to force yourself to finish that paper or study for that final; allow yourself to hang out with friends for a few minutes and see if that doesn't help to lift your spirits. I know for me whenever I spend those precious few minutes
among some funny friends in the midst of all my stress, I am able to get more accomplished when I sit back down to start working again. Just like your body needs food to perform daily tasks, your soul needs laughter to cope with life. So let loose and have fun, hang out with friends and don't forget to laugh every once in a while! :)

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane."

-Robert Frost