Ever wondered why things at work seem to go so well, so effortlessly after a genuine laugh?
When you laugh, your body produces happy chemicals
Did you know that even just a smile is a great health and wellbeing booster to start your day? Imagine what a healthy laughter practice can do to help you relax and be your better self in any situation, the you who can see positive outcomes and seize opportunities in times of challenge.
When you laugh and adopt a positive attitude, your body immediately produces happy chemicals, here are some of them and what they do.
Endorphins: Coping under pressure
Endorphins relax and de-stress your body. Laughing helps cope with stressful situations at work, when the body and mind are stressed and under pressure. It is so powerful that it even helps cope with physical pain by acting like a natural painkiller.
Serotonin: Boosting Confidence
Serotonin reminds you how important you are and the value you bring to the world. There is nothing like a good confidence-booster as you manage your team or present to your senior management.
Dopamine: Increasing Motivation
There is also dopamine, which reinforces your motivation to reach goals and gives you pleasure when you achieve them. This has more to do with setting goals that are stretching you enough to be a challenge but still feasible to achieve. Once you have achieved your goals, don’t forget to celebrate your success, at work and at home, with a good laugh of appreciation and gratitude.
Oxytocin: Building Quality Relationships
Finally, oxytocin is your friend too. Laughter can be a shortcut to creating good relationships. Oxytocin is connected to intimacy, trust and bonding.
You can be in control of your happy chemicals. It is possible to work from the outside in and create a feeling of confidence and wellbeing by choosing to enact your favourite happy behaviours.
For more on the benefits of laughter in the workplace see part 2 of this blog: coming soon.
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