Article by:
Paula Throckmorton
Making New Year’s resolutions for 2022 has become less a matter of aspiration than of urgency. With our collective blood pressure on the rise and a host of other pandemic-induced stresses ticking up, self-care, as we are constantly reminded, is now a necessity, not an indulgence. Trouble is, the ever-growing number of approaches—via apps, books, and downloads offering pathways to health, wealth, and happiness—is only adding to our to-do lists and feelings of overwhelm. Whether instructing us to invest barefoot, think like a monk, or date like a bitch, these myriad routes to self-improvement threaten to make our lives more complicated and wearisome, not calmer and more mindful.
To declutter my own headspace and help quell the angst of the challenging reality we’re living in, I decided to focus on two very simple concepts: meditate every day and laugh more. We’re all aware of the reputed health benefits of meditation—reducing stress, anxiety, and blood pressure; improving mood, sleep, and focus—though sticking to the practice while sitting stock still and keeping our minds blank for half an hour or longer is another matter (see below). And who doesn’t want to laugh more, releasing all those endorphins while watching the world tilt on its head and tip back up again? Laughter brings oxygen to our organs, increases immunity, and relieves tension and pain. What I discovered, to my surprise, was that the two go together. Meditation doesn’t have to be an earnest activity conducted in hallowed silence. In fact, it can usher in a good amount of humor. Read full health and fitness article here.
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