La-La Land of Gratitude

Our alphabetical gratitude month continues today with the letter L which means I am beyond lucky to be so blessed!

A = Autumn, Austins, Assumption
B = Ballots, Books, Book Club, Bible
C = Casey, Clay, Carter, Church, Creativity, Camera
D = Dad, Daughters, Deck Chair, Dar, Design
E = Eggs, Election, Energy, Empty Nest
F = Family, Friends, Faith, Flu Shot, FastForward
G = Games, Golf, Guilty pleasures
H = Hugs, Hurricanes, Humor
I = Ice cream, Impromptu Invitations
J = Jim, Jokes, Job, Java
K = Kindness, King Cone, Knock on Wood, Karma

Laughter: They say laughter is the best medicine. I don't think it'll cure COVID, but it certainly eases the pain of life as we know it in 2020. So very grateful for opportunities to laugh – whether it's friends, family or something goofy on TV or the internet. Just losing it over a deep-belly laugh. It's what we long for and what we need! And since we are a data-driven society these days, did you know there is data mounting about the legit positive effects of laughter? According to Mayo Clinic (quite reputable, if you ask me):

A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects, too! Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
• Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
• Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
• Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier. 

If you can't find anything to laugh about, watch mindless TV, rent my husband (he's the funny one), or try on a pair of your pre-COVID quarantine jeans and see how that goes for you. If you're like me, you'll laugh 'til you cry. Or just cry.

Love: Well that's a given. Of course, love can improve your mood, too. It's truly a blessing to have someone love you and to be able to love in return. Even after 254 days in "light quarantine" together. 

See, that's funny. Maybe.

#gratitudemonth #gratitudealphabet