Smile and Laugh

When did we become so serious about life? We spend so much time worrying about what might happen, thinking about what went wrong and trying to work out what we should do next that we can forget one of the simplest things we can do: smile and laugh. A smile costs nothing, yet it can change the way we feel and the way other people feel around us. A laugh can break the tension in a difficult moment, bring people together and remind us that life isn't meant to be lived entirely in our heads.

That doesn't mean pretending everything is wonderful. Life can be difficult. We all have bad days, disappointments and moments when smiling is the last thing we feel like doing. Positive thinking isn't about denying those experiences. It is about remembering that difficult moments are not the whole of our lives.

Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to enjoy something without analysing it. Laugh at something ridiculous. Spend time with somebody who makes you happy. Watch something that makes you laugh. Tell a silly joke. Smile at a stranger. Find the small moments that make an ordinary day feel a little better.

You don't need a million reasons to smile. You only need to notice the reasons that are already there and there is another benefit. When we smile and laugh, we give other people permission to do the same. Happiness can be contagious, and a moment of genuine joy can travel much further than we realise.

So don't wait for life to become perfect before you allow yourself to smile. Find something that makes you laugh. Hold on to it. And remember that life is meant to be lived, not merely endured.