Widowed people need laughter. It sounds almost sacrilegious, doesn’t it? When most people think of those who are widowed, they think of sadness and being alone. As the participants Camp Widow West showed last year, many who have been widowed are young people in the prime of life. After all, the average age for being widowed is 52. That means half are older and half are younger than that at the time of being widowed. And the truth is, EVERYONE Camp Widowneeds laughter’s benefits.

Did you know that laughter is actually healthy? It is well-documented that laughter has health benefits and stimulates your immune system. But did you know that laughter also helps your business, keeps you on your spiritual path and increases your creativity? Not only that, laughter is aerobic – 110 laughs is equivalent to riding a bike for 15 minutes – it evens works your abs. Laughing may reduce heart disease.

There is even a branch of yoga based on the benefits of laughter. Laughter Yoga practices laughter independent of emotional state. That’s right. You don’t have to be feeling funny or playful to practice Laughter Yoga. Many widowed people get into a habit of focusing on feelings of sadness and separation from others. This can sometimes become a spiral that keeps widows emotionally down for many months, even years, after their spouse is gone. The idea that you don’t have to be feeling funny to laugh and get the many benefits of laughter can revolutionize the lives of widowed people worldwide.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

One thing you can do as a widowed person in need of laughter and not really feeling it is to watch a Laughing Yoga video on YouTube. Go ahead. Try it. There is something about laughter that is contagious.

Please post the link(s) to your favorite Laughing videos and leave it in the comments section below so we can all have a laugh. Try watching it every morning for a week and see if you feel any different.

Being widowed does not mean you have to live a dreary life. Get out there and laugh. It will do your heart and body good. I can ASSURE you, we’ll be laughing PLENTY in San Diego Friday, Saturday & Sunday at Camp Widow West 2016!