If Laughtercise is a step too far for right now then you can start adding more laughter into your world by:

Smile. We are born with an infinite number of smiles. They are no use to us when we keep them to ourselves…so share them! Smiling is the beginning of laughter, and like laughter, it’s contagious. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling. Instead of looking down at your phone, look up and smile at people you pass in the street. Notice the effect on others.

Be Grateful: Gratitude is a super way to start feeling positive and to bring laughter into your world. Literally make a list. When you’re in a state of sadness, you have further to travel to reach humour and laughter. When you are in a state of gratitude everything seems a little brighter and laughter will find you more easily.

Listen for Laughter! When you hear someone laughing move towards it. Most people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humour you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”. Or, if that feels uncomfortable, just be around the sound of laughter. It will lift you and your mood. I have often found that just listening to other people laughing sets me off into giggles too!

Choose playful people: Apparently our mood is predominantly defined by the five people we spend most of our time with. So, five grumps and you have a sad face. Five joyful folk and the result is different. Look around you….do you have joyful people in your world? These are people who laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and who routinely find the humour in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.