LAUGH AND LIVE LONGER

It begins first thing in the morning. Smile at the day. Keep your smile handy while you glide down on the floor and take half dozen in-and-out breaths through the nose. Exhale quickly through your nose with 10 short bursts. This yoga technique, called Kapalabhati expels negative thoughts and you will feel a burst of can-do that lifts your worries away.

This pleasant mood gets you safely to work. You’ve heard two new employees are scheduled to start that day. You want them to feel welcome. So bring that pleasant smile back into position. In a British study, people who gave “long onset” smiles were perceived to be friendlier and more authentic than those who smile right away. Any new people around will be eager to get to know you and respond to your pleasant smile.

Now it is time to bring on the big guns. At coffee break recall a recent joke you have heard, an experience you may have had on your first day at work, or perhaps something funny from a recent “Laugh out Loud” comedy show. As the clock works out the hours of their first day they will recall how relaxed and pleasant the day went and tell the family about it. Both families will be smiling also and bring on a chuckle of their own that adds to everyone's pleasant day. And they may even laugh out loud which will be even better, and help them all live happily and add years to life as it is practiced often.