"Passion is no laughing matter, but I have never met a truly passionate person who didn't love to laugh"
-Zig Ziglar
Laughter Heals the Mind and Body
Norman Cousins, recipient of nearly 50 honorary doctorate degrees, discovered the healing power of laughter after being diagnosed with a deadly illness. It was 1964 when Norman returned home from a business trip and fell ill. Ankylosing spondylitis was the diagnosis, and the doctors said he had only months to live.
Norman took it upon himself to research his illness to the fullest. He concluded that his high stress job had triggered his illness, and the antidote must be the opposite, that is, positive emotion. He moved into a room in the hotel across the street from the hospital and began "treatment" armed with a film projector, and hours of comedy film. As laughter filled his room, the pain of his disease faded. He claimed that only 10 minutes of gut busting laughter would give him two hours of pain free sleep. Even morphine prescribed by the doctors had failed to be that effective. Bed-ridden, Norman continued his therapy until he was back on his feet, 6 months later. Then he carried on the treatment and was able to return to his full time job within two years. The scientific community was astounded. His case inspired numerous research projects. Norman himself wrote a book An Anatomy of an Illness.
What an inspiring story! Norman Cousins harnessed the healing power of laughter and defied the odds.
Now, I am not prescribing laughter as medication for whatever ails you. I do, however, believe that laughter, and adopting a positive attitude in general, strengthens us mentally, emotionally, and physically. In times of adversity, laughter is especially effective in relieving stress and lightening the burdens we carry.
Learn to be the master of your mind. Work to control your emotions. Laugh at the world. Laugh at yourself. This is a skill that must be learned, and practiced daily. Mentally and emotionally strong people can inspire you, support you, and guide you in many aspects of your life, but there comes a time when you must become mentally strong unto yourself.
Anxiety and depression, diseases of the mind, cause so much suffering today. James Allen in As a Man Thinketh, teaches that any suffering is a direct result of wrong thought, that we suffer because we are out of alignment in our own minds. The healing, then, should begin within. There are cases where outside help is necessary, but so much healing can take place when we learn to be mentally strong.
Laugh at Your Failures
"Failure is an event, not a person."
-Zig Ziglar
Louis (Louie) Zamperini, subject of the film Unbroken, failed many times before becoming an olympic runner. In fact, before he started running, his life was off the rails. He had an uncontrollable temper, he was constantly in trouble for theft, and had very few friends. His brother Pete convinced him to join the track team where Pete, a star athlete, could train Louie and keep an eye on him. In the beginning, Louie was slow, and a childhood bout with pneumonia left him with limited lung capacity. Pete kept training his brother. Soon, Louie started making great improvements. He trained harder and harder. By the end of his freshman year of high school, he raced and placed 5th in the All-City meet, running the 600 meter dash. He kept going. In his final three years of high school, Louie Zamperini was undefeated in competition, breaking school, state, and national records along the way.
The best and most talented among us have failed, still fail, and will continue to fail. The difference is mental toughness. They keep moving and, eventually, succeed.
Often, success lies just beyond failure.
Laugh at your failures, because we all have them, and they only last a moment.
Happy, Healthy, Prosperous
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