Ever been stabbed by the sword of stress? Chances are you have. An unexpected big item bill for a broken car, air conditioner, furnace, water heater, etc. Perhaps a job loss, divorce, wallet lost, or another etc. When you are about to get stabbed by an etc. Raise your humor shield!
We all get stressed out and overwhelmed. The amount of tension that goes along with the bad times, Even in good times like the holiday season can be too much for most to handle. What can you do to survive the stress?
When you’re feeling stressed, think: What would George Carlin do in this situation? The answer isn’t, “Nothing he’s dead.” If he was alive, he would probably laugh at that answer. The real answer is he would have looked for the humor in the situation. Research shows that those who can look at things from a humorous perspective are better able to handle higher amounts of stress. Statistics also show that 98% of people who are stressed out, left their humor shield at home. Okay maybe I made that one up and no researcher asked people if they left their humor shield at home, but if they did, this is probably what the statistic would show. Using your humor shield to cope with stress has many benefits. Research shows that those that use humor to cope with stress have less heart attacks and are less likely to be stabbed by a sword as well. Humor will also increase your chances of winning a lottery, although actual results vary. How do you use humor as a shield?
Be on the lookout for potentially humorous situations. Look for humor in every potential stressful situation. It’s our reactions, that is, our thoughts and feelings that determine if we become stressed, not the situation itself. I call this the half habit. I explain the ½ habit in my book: 7 1/2 Habits To Help You Become More Humorous, Happier & Healthier. Instead of getting angry waiting in line, expect to wait in lines, because it is inevitable. Plane delayed. Why are you so surprised and upset? How often are planes delayed? Watch other people while waiting. Make up stories in your head of what their thinking or doing. “Hey, that guy in line is probably an undercover sociologist watching me to see if I’ll get mad because this line is moving too slow,” etc.
Find some humorous websites. There are a bunch of them out there. There is even an association devoted to the positive benefits of humor: The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor: www.aath.org

So next time you see that sword swinging toward you, laugh and raise your humor shield!