Great Advice From A Yard Sign

A few years ago on the way home from taking our youngest to his freshman year of college, we stopped halfway to stay with some dear friends.

As we sat on their back patio the next having coffee and talking I noticed this sign.

A pretty simple piece of advice, but one that I took to heart and still try and practice on a daily basis.

Numerous studies tell us that adults laugh on average 17 times per day. That's not a whole lot in my humble opinion.

I had one client tell me recently, "I realized I forgot to have fun. I find that I hardly laugh". While I appreciated the honesty, the statement made me sad.

Life is too short to not have fun and enjoy it.

There is so much happening in our world right now (and maybe in your own life) that you may find it hard to laugh. I understand and know that you are not alone.

However, happiness is a choice one makes despite their circumstances.

One of the actions I have taken is to be very aware of what I consume mentally.

I have started making a conscious choice to limit my news intake and social media interaction as it is a breeding ground for negativity which manifests itself in a negative mindset and makes it harder to find joy.

What I have started to focus on are reasons to laugh.

I try to continually take stock of all of the reasons I have to be joyful, to move closer to my relationships which are life-giving, and to move away from those things that are draining and offer little value. To find humor in the little things (and in myself) and slow down so I am able to notice them.

As we move into the weekend and into a new week, find a reason to laugh and more importantly find someone to laugh with.

There is always something that you can find goodness in and it really is good medicine for your heart and soul.

Maybe you need to make time to visit with some old friends and laugh.

On the journey with you,

This edition was first published in The Life Design Newsletter on LinkedIn.