Laughing Toastmasters – HOME
Laughing Toastmasters – LAUGHTER
Laughing Toastmasters – CREATIVITY
Laughing Toastmasters – CONNECT
Reach Saskia at info@lachwinkel.nl
Children laugh about 300 times a day, adults laugh roughly only 15 times a day. What happened?
Life became SERIOUS. As a child we take our first hits at school when our teacher uses his or her red pen to correct our answers. No one’s interested in the creativity of the answers, they can only be right or wrong.
By the time we reach adolescence we’ve already received quote a few hits; we didn’t pass exams or our first boy- or girlfriend broke up with us.
When we turn into proper adults we’ve already confronted a few misfortunes. The corners of our mouths point downwards, we’ve got this sad look in our eyes and a certain feeling of hopelessness surfaces every now and again.
Somewhere in the process of growing up, our laughter disappeared. We tend to make a mountain out of a mole hill with every obstacle we encounter.
“Be serious!” is something we hear all too often, and is something we say as a slap on the wrist. Apparently ‘serious’ turned into a synonym for frowning and generally unhappy looks. Our health suffers for it.
Laughing is serious business
Physically
Your body makes endorphins, a hormone that causes pain levels to drop and gives you a feeling of well-being. It’s also known as the ‘Hormone of Happiness’.
Your body takes in about 25% more oxygen and your metabolism is empowered. You’ll have more energy which will help you get ill less often and helps you recuperate if you do get ill.
Mentally
Overall performance rises because of laughter. The 25% more oxygen we spoke about earlier is needed by the brain to perform better and laughing will help you get there.
Your ability to learn and remember things increases and you’ll be more creative because connections are easily made by your ‘enhanced’ brain.
Socially
Laughter helps you make contacts that wouldn’t be possible by just talking. It helps create a connection between you and the other person which makes smooths out co-operation between you two and allows you to express yourself more creatively.
Emotionally
When you laugh a lot you’ll notice that life becomes lighter, brighter and happier than it was before. The problems you encounter will seem less of a challenge, the mountains look like mole hills again.
You’re happier, you’ll enjoy life more and you’ll more easily find the answers to your problems, you’ll also become more creative on this level.
