12 May Positive psychology, happiness and laughing
We all know the importance of positive emotions. Barbara Fredrickson’s, “broaden and build,” theory has taught us that joy and amusement allows us to expand our thinking. It also prevents that constricted feeling that manifests in our bodies when we are stressed. Equally, Valliant, Peterson, and Seligman tell us that humor is both a coping mechanism and a strength. Finding humor in the midst of a stressful situation often diffuses the conflict and allows us to return to a healthier state both mentally and physically. (Just think of that moment when you were fighting with your spouse/parent/sibling and then all of the sudden you looked at each other, realized the fight was ridiculous, and dissolved into peals of laughter.)
To read more about laughing and happiness, from Positive Psychology News Daily – click here