Simply put, life is more fun when I let myself laugh out loud. As a parent, there are daily opportunities for me to choose laughter – over tears, anger, frustration, etc. Sometimes, I'm just so focused on a task that needs to be done that it's difficult to find my son's antics or constant chatter anything other than annoying. More often than not, when I react with irritation, it sets off a negative cycle that isn't good for anyone. But other times, when I let myself pay attention, it's amazing how funny that little kid can be! Sure, there are messes to clean up, and ridiculous decisions to redirect. But I find that when I redirect with laughter, and use humor as my guide, my son is significantly more cooperative – and that is better for everyone!

Laughter is a choice. We get so caught up in the details of life that we tend to forget the value of actually enjoying it. Not only that, but a deep belly laugh is certainly the most fun I've ever had doing abdominal exercises! So give it a try this week – laugh out loud! You might even find that it's contagious – and that's great for everyone, too!