A grin, a smile, giggles that turn to laughter, and sometimes, the uncontrollable belly laugh that has you crying, bent over, and sometimes peeing your pants. It’s the best and one of the best things for you!

Laughter relaxes your body, instantly relieves stress, increases blood flow, releases happy chemicals (endorphins), and can even tone your abs as your stomach muscles contract and expand.

So, how can laughter become part of your wellness plan since it usually happens spontaneously?

Here are a handful of ideas:

1. Allow yourself to be and act silly.

2. Laugh at yourself. You may just be one of the funniest people you know.

3. Hangout with people that laugh easily and that make you laugh.

4. Look for the humor in everyday situations. The hit sitcom Seinfeld was made of this stuff.

5. Watch a comedy or comedy act.

6. Google corny jokes and then have fun telling them to others. If you are anything like me, you’ll mess up the retelling, which often is funnier than the joke.

7. Gravitate toward laughter when you hear it. Laughing is contagious. Have you ever witnessed someone laughing so hard that you can’t help but join in with your own?

Like most things in our lives, what we seek, we find. Seek fun, silliness, giggles and you may just end up with cheeks that hurt from laughing too hard and maybe a healthier body and mind too!