Making Laughter a Personal Sport Can Improve Your Overall Health and Wellness

What is your most important asset?

It may be difficult to answer this question without first understanding the concept of an asset. Most mainstream teachings define an asset as a resource that has economic value and is owned or controlled by an individual, corporation, or country. According to this definition, most of the things we spend money on and end up owning are considered assets.

However, some entrepreneurs, like Robert Kiyosaki, don’t entirely agree with this definition. They believe that something is truly an asset only if it has the capacity to generate income. From their perspective, many things that are commonly regarded as assets are, in fact, serious liabilities.

To better grasp this perspective, we need to understand the definition of a liability. While mainstream teaching defines a liability as a financial obligation that a person or organization owes to another party, the aforementioned entrepreneurs define a liability as something that has the net effect of draining financial resources. For example, they would say that your car or your house, unless it generates income, is not an asset but a liability.

So, what is your most important asset?

In my view, there is no argument — my health is my most important asset. While all other assets are acquired on the foundation of good health, consistent poor health could be the mother of all liabilities.

Unfortunately, our health is constantly under assault. We encounter numerous situations that can negatively impact our health on a daily basis, including harmful microbes, poor diet, environmental toxins, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and physical, mental, and emotional stressors. This is simply the reality of life. Many undesirable things are unavoidable, unless we proactively take action to protect ourselves.

Mental and emotional stress are particularly harmful. Studies suggest this is the top cause of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which are the leading cause of death worldwide. Finding effective ways to manage mental and emotional stress must be a priority.

Embracing Laughter

Experts recommend various stress-management tools, and I believe laughter is one of the best. Laughter is highly individualized and almost entirely free, making it an accessible option for coping with stress.

Laughter can powerfully boost our health and well-being on several fronts. When we laugh, our bodies release endorphins — the “feel-good” hormones. These natural chemicals reduce stress and promote relaxation. Laughter also decreases cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone, leading to a calmer state of mind.

Laughter provides physical health benefits as well. Regular laughter boosts immune function, helping us fend off illness. It also triggers the release of natural painkillers, providing relief from discomfort. Additionally, laughter improves blood flow, reducing the risks of many adverse health conditions, including heart disease.

Mental health can also benefit greatly from laughter. It instantly lifts our spirits, providing a mini-vacation for our minds. Laughter helps reduce anxiety and depression, and can complement therapy and medication for those struggling with mental health issues. Higher life satisfaction is another way laughter elevates our mental well-being, as people who laugh often are more satisfied with life.

We should create as many opportunities to laugh as possible. Have you ever tried laughing at yourself? We all have flaws, and while we may struggle to hide them from the public, in private they can be a great source of laughter. Hosting games with friends or family, such as board games, card games, or trivia, can lead to shared laughter. Attending live comedy performances, sharing jokes, engaging in noncompetitive sports like dancing, watching comedy films, reading humorous content, and embracing playfulness through activities like dancing in the rain, making goofy faces, or telling silly stories are all great ways of making you laugh or feeling hilarious.

By making laughter a personal “sport,” we can harness its power to improve our overall health and well-being.

Apart from laughter other tools for combating stress and cultivating mindfulness can be assessed here