Stress Relief with a Smile

Picture a person that has finally found the perfect diet to match his or her ever-increasing pace of life. At this point, that person has also blocked off x-amount of time during the week for some cardio work. How could anything possibly go wrong health-wise?

Of course it’s possible to have a problematic health problem occur, even with the most successfully proven diet and exercise plan. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on one’s luck), genetics play a large role in health and longevity. Having said that, there are other variables that can help to increase ones chances at a consistently healthy life.

Many have found a sense of humor to be vital in stress relief and quality of life. True happiness is most certainly a major contributor to quality of life. Consider the following scenario.

After a hard day at the office, someone come home only to find themselves thinking about all the stresses that accompanied their day at work. Stressful situations should be left at the office so a person’s possibility of future ulcer is lessened. Most certainly, ones heart and blood pressure are not faring well with a mind looping over problematic and irritating things that may have occurred during the day.

So how can a sense of humor help? Here’s how. During the day, as each problem arises, bringing laughter into the situation helps bring problems into perspective. Sure, this “major meeting with another company” is important, but most companies want to deal with both efficient and pleasant personnel. A little joke here and there humanizes situations.

This softening of stressful happenstance at work makes it easier to forget about things when coming home. However, if there are still things on one’s mind at home, joking around with family and having the ability to laugh at oneself shifts a mind away from whatever mundane detail is of a bothering nature.

Although a sense of humor is not the end all of healthiness, it is most certainly a major contributor. Also, here’s another thing to consider. If there is a genetic disposition for longevity, does this fortunate person really want to live to be 90 in a dry, humorless fashion? Imagine lasting close to nine decades with all the frown face wrinkles fully exposed. Surely, it is plainly visible to outsiders who has had a live filled with joy, and who has had a life filled with distress.

Of all the different types of humor, probably the most valuable of all is the ability to laugh at oneself. Taking oneself far too seriously opens a person up to teasing and many different forms of ridicule. That is not to say that one should not take oneself seriously at all. The key is in finding a happy medium that will make for accomplishing all goals with grace and flexibility.

Remember to keep smiling. It’s healthy for the smiler and those who choose to be around that person. If ulcers, high blood pressure and heart problems are diseases that a person wishes to develop and accelerate, then choosing to brood and stew is a viable option. However, obviously the former ‘smiling’ option is the wise choice…. Smile.