The Importance of Laughter, Michael Jackson, and Christmas

I like to think that I am happy-go-lucky, that I have a life full of laughter, and I typically belly laugh every day, but there are a couple of "stressors" that seem to find me from time to time and end up sucking the fun out of my life…booo!  This is how Michael Jackson turned my whole Christmas around into one full of laughter that I will never forget.

Two of the biggies hit me like a ton of bricks on Christmas…my kids and hosting a party.  Christmas can be a stressful day anyway, but it is exacerbated when you are hosting your Christmas festivities at your house and that day I was at level 8, at least, out of 10, if not an 11.  So this is how my day went.

My day actually started the night before when my husband and I made the poor choice to drink too much wine and stay up way too late wrapping our kids' Christmas gifts.  So when my over-eager kids woke up bouncing, literally, into our room at the crack of dawn, I was exhausted and not at all ready to start this long day ahead.  But it was Christmas, so we played along, got up before the sun and did the one-eye zombie march downstairs to see what Santa had brought.  As you know, if you have ever been the host, you don't get to sit down and enjoy the presents and your children's excitement because you have to begin to prepare the food, put breakfast rolls together, snacks for the day, and get the turkey in, and the list never ends. 

Then before you know it your guests are arriving in one hour.  You are hollering at your kids to get upstairs and dressed and you are still in a robe and slippers.  One hour to get the family showered, dressed, and looking like the holiday card you sent out.  Which is difficult enough in and of itself, but if you have the added bouncing and adrenalin of your excitable kids it is nearly impossible.

Guests start to arrive, I try to get hor d' orves out and snacks to entertain my hungry crowd and, AH HA, the grandparents show up and that is the moment your kids realize this is the day they get to get away with ANYTHING… Mom is too busy, dad is too relaxed, and grandparents will ALWAYS protect their grandkids from those silly little expectations. 

My day is literally going downhill and worse yet is that no one is coming in the kitchen to help me get my list of 101 things done aaaahhhhhh!  But in all fairness, I would not have wanted to enter that kitchen either.  You could feel the stress like a thick fog the second you entered the room, it was almost suffocating.  So it was me by myself stewing over my kids being obnoxious, the forever long list of preparations and no one helping me, and stressing if everything was going to be perfect.  Gotta let go of that perfectionism, I know, I am working on it!

So let me tell you what turned my day around.  LAUGHTER.  That contagious laughter that makes your cheeks and stomach hurt that has the whole room belly laughing.  We began opening presents again with the family and this picture made my whole Christmas worthwhile ( in fact, I still giggle when I think about this picture).

My son is 4 and LOVES Michael Jackson.  We got him the Michael Jackson Wii game and the Michael Jackson costume set for Christmas.  He went berserk when he opened it and insisted on wearing it the rest of the day.

It is funny how one silly little thing and 2 minutes changes your whole day.  The benefits of laughter are impressive and expansive, but here are just a few for you to think about:

• Laughter is a mild form of internal exercise
• It is a stress reliever
• It is a muscle relaxant
•  It strengthens your immune system
• It makes you live longer 

It is amazing how my mood lightened and the entire energy of the party changed.  I sometimes wonder if I have magical powers;)  So start laughing with, not at, the people around you and notice the effect little ol' you has on your environment and how much fun you bring into your life, just by one little act.

There is no need to go through life like a drill sergeant and be so serious.  Besides the health benefits I listed above some of the more tangible benefits of laughing are:

• Your kids will like you more because you are more fun.
• You will attract fun people into your life.
• You can change the energy in a room just by your laughter… (or it could be magical powers).
• You will be working those 6-pack abs
• and best of all… LAUGHTER IS BEAUTIFUL.

Go out there and share your beautiful smile with the world!!

Yours in helping you get everything you want,