Laughter
"Always look on the bright side of life" is a famous Monty Python lyric. It's easier said than done, even for comedians. A few years ago, I set about researching the importance of laughter, and its benefits on our health, mood, longevity etc. It turns out the general public is disconnected - we don't lean on our neighbors for support, talk person-to-person as much, and even the average married couple only spends 6 minutes a day communicating with each other. Laughter is a dish best served communally - and we could all benefit from a big group belly laugh.
I'm also continuously searching for how the common canadian injects humour into their lives. My favourite story was from a woman I met in Alberta a few years ago. She had made a fairly grave mistake at work, and was called in to a meeting with her superiors. She was nervous about the meeting all weekend, and finally came up with an idea. She asked her son to borrow his football uniform. On Monday morning she marched into the meeting room wearing a football helmet and shoulder pads and said "Well boys, gimme your best shot!" She said everyone had a laugh, and it took away the tension. If you have stories of how humour has enhanced someone's life, or anecdotes about taking a more fun approach to life, email me at laughter@jessicaholmes.net, and it will help with my research, or at the very least put a big smile on both our faces.