Point to Ponder:
Are you laughing and having enough fun?
Personally, I don’t think there’s anything better than laughing and having fun. Maybe it’s because my mom was and still is the best at it! She taught my sister and I how to laugh at everything, especially ourselves. As a single mom I know she had plenty to cry about, but we never saw anything beyond a mother who was full of joy, laughter and always smiling. Later in life she let us know about the days when she was so down and overwhelmed by the heaviness of life and our financial situation that her best laughter strategy was to go to the Hallmark store and read funny cards. While the cards didn't solve our financial stress, they made her smile and laugh which gave her the spirit boosting she needed to get through her day.
While it’s a saying, there is absolute truth in laughter being the best medicine, along with exercise. Both laughter and exercise have irrefutable positive physiological impacts on our body, mind and spirit, which is why fun is one of iGnite's core values. The physiological laughter and fun facts are:
1. Endorphins are released when you laugh. These are triggered by the movements of the muscles in your face, which is interpreted by your brain, which in turn releases these chemicals. Endorphins are responsible for making us feel happy, and they also help lower stress levels. They also act as the body’s natural pain killers. For sufferers of chronic pain, laughing and smiling can be very effective in pain management, as can laughing off the pain when you bump an elbow or fall over.
2. While the release of endorphins is increased, the stress hormone cortisol is reduced. Cortisol is more active when we feel stressed or anxious and contributes to the unpleasant feelings we experience, and by lowering it we can reduce these negative feelings. High cortisol have these negative effects:
a. Compromised immune system
b. Abdominal fat deposition.
c. The breakdown of muscle, bone, and connective tissue.
d. Inhibits thyroid hormone activation.
3. Laughing expands the lungs, stretches the muscles in the body and stimulates homeostasis. This exercises the body, replenishing the cells from a lungful of oxygen.
4. A good laugh can be an effective way to release emotions. A good laugh can help you release emotions, especially those emotions that you might bottle up inside. Everything looks that little bit better after a good laugh and life can be seen from a more positive perspective.
So, what’s your laughter and fun strategy? For me, it’s anything involving iGnite, pranks, dancing, playing with my family and watching Impractical Jokers, one-on-one time with Russell, music, girlfriends, and getaways. For you, I sure hope iGnite is one of your fun things, because regardless of what we’re doing (classes, an event, getaway or Escape), having fun in non-negotiable and we are 100% committed to providing an experience that produces smiles, laughter and plenty of fun. And, where there’s fun, there’s laughter, and where there’s laughter, there’s improved health. Combine exercise and laughter and you get iGnite--the combination to living your best life!
Action Item:
Determine what makes you laugh and have fun and make it a priority.