Lighten Up:Lighten Up:LifeLife’’s Not THAT s Not THAT

Serious!!Serious!!

Donna FrymanDonna FrymanFleming County Extension Agent for Family & Fleming County Extension Agent for Family &

Consumer SciencesConsumer SciencesUniversity of Kentucky Cooperative Extension University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension

ServiceService

“Humor is a great thing”

-Mark Twain

Fake it till you make it!!!

Can Laughter really Improve your health?

Let’s get Physical

Physical Health BenefitsPhysical Health Benefits»Stronger immune system »Improved cardiovascular health

»Reduced stress hormones»Reduced pain»Muscle relaxation»And more!

Laugh the weight awayLaugh the weight away

• 10 to 15 minutes of laughter can burn 50 calories. This equals: 2 chocolate Kisses

Mental Health BenefitsMental Health Benefits• Less stress• Reduced anger, anxiety• Increased joy, aliveness• More positive, optimistic mood• Sense of control• Increased emotional intelligence• And more!

ThereThere’’s a new disease:s a new disease:

Terminal Seriousness

WhatWhat’’s Wrong with Americans?s Wrong with Americans?• We only use 14 of our 16 vacation days

– Italians get 42 days– French get 37 days– Germans get 35 days

– Avg. Americans work a 49 hour weekThat adds up to 350 hours/year

WhatWhat’’s Wrong with Americans?s Wrong with Americans?

• Sandwich Generation is the workforce

• Grandparents raising grandchildren

• Everyday Stressors:– Traffic, money worries, kids, hectic

schedules, GAS PRICE$.

Is Is stressstress a choice?a choice?

YES!!!

SituationsSituationsSometimes you can control the situation

Sometimes you CANNOTControl the situation

Remember what can humorRemember what can humordo for youdo for you

Weight control More energySelf-confidence Improved sleep

Healthier appearanceLower risk of: diabetes, heart disease,

high blood pressure, cancer, stroke.

Did you ever wonder why?Did you ever wonder why?• You can get a pizza delivered to your

house faster than an ambulance.

• Drug stores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store for medicine while healthy people can buy cigarettes and candy at the front counter?

Did you ever wonder why?Did you ever wonder why?• We have answering machines to

screen our calls and then have call waiting so we don’t miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place.

• Banks leave both doors open and chain the pens to the counter.

Did you ever wonder why?Did you ever wonder why?• We leave cars worth thousand of

dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

• Why don’t you ever see the headline, “Psychic Wins Lottery!”?

Did you ever wonder why?Did you ever wonder why?• The man who invests your money is

called a broker.

• Doctors call what they do a “practice”.

• Lemon juice is made from artificial flavoring and dish soap is made with real lemons.

Did you ever wonder why?Did you ever wonder why?

• When a dog food is “new, improved and better tasting” – who tests it?

• If con is the opposite of pro – is Congress the opposite of progress?

Ask yourself:

“What can I do right now?”

Say CheeseSay Cheese• A study by Hewlett Packard found

that seeing a smile made people happier than eating chocolate, shopping or being given cash. So …

SMILE

Adding humor to YOUR day. . .Adding humor to YOUR day. . .• Do you remember happy, good natured

people?

• Humor is a common thread among top executives.

• It levels the playing field, breaks the ice and cuts intimidation.

• The shortest distance between two people is a smile.

“It is never to late to live happily ever after.“

What can you do?What can you do?• Keep a joke book in your desk.• Create a humor journal• Be around uplifting people.• Challenge yourself to uplift others.• Laugh at yourself.• See the absurdity in situations.• Do what you enjoy.• Take time for yourself.

Working with others gives you a unique opportunity to add fun &

happiness to the world.

Make the most of it!