Midwest Mary

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By

Mary K. Doyle

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Excerpt–Laugh for Your Health

Most of us are or were caregivers. We look after our family and friends, offer assistance to neighbors, and volunteer. While carrying on all of these activities, it’s important to also care for ourselves. We can’t care for anyone if we don’t care for ourselves.

One way to do that is through laughter. It’s good for our body, mind, and spirit to step away from the seriousness of life and spend some time on the light side.

Following is a “Morale Builder” from my book, Inspired Caregiving. Weekly Morale Builders. The book contains 52 topics to assist us with self-care, each of which contains a photo, prayer, thought, affirmation, stretch, activity, quote, and smile. I hope this one encourages you to find some laughter in your day.  

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Laugh

Prayer
Lord, you created me with the ability to laugh. I entrust my worries to your care and seek humor in trivial daily matters.

Thought
An old Irish proverb says that a good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures, and there is truth to this statement. Laughter is good medicine. It reduces stress hormones and depression, helps to oxygenate blood, reduces pain, and increases creativity. So much of a caregiver’s time is wasted stressing over insignificant matters and things that may never happen or, at the very least, are not happening at the moment. Enjoy life instead.

Affirmation
I see the humor in the silly little things that happen throughout the day.

Stretch
Believe it or not, laughing is a form of exercise. Spread your arms upward. Look up and laugh heartily. You just strengthened your abdominal muscles, released tension, and increased endorphins!

Activity
Ask friends to email or text jokes to you. Watch a funny TV show or movie. Call a friend who makes you laugh or recall an occasion that you found funny. The more you laugh, the happier you will be.

Quote
“Laughter is the tonic, the release, the surcease for pain.” Charlie Chaplin

Smile
They all laughed when I said I wanted to be a professional comedian. Well, no one’s laughing now.

*

Excerpt from Inspired Caregiving. Weekly Morale Builders
also available from the publisher, ACTA Publications, and my website.

Photo: Cantigny Park, 2013

©Mary K. Doyle, 2025

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Responses to “Excerpt–Laugh for Your Health”

  1. Tony

    Très beau post Mary…j’aime beaucoup les photos 🙏🌞⚘
    Belle journée à toi.
    Tony ☕🖐

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Merci, mon ami. Passez une bonne journée.

      Reply
  2. Kimberly Vargas Agnese

    Made me smile:) incredible photo

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Good to hear I made you smile, dear Kimberly. Have a great day.

      Reply
      1. Kimberly Vargas Agnese

        You too:)

        Reply
  3. Dorothy’s New Vintage Kitchen

    Love the comedian joke!

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      My kind of humor, Dorothy. That is why I call the “jokes” in the book smiles. Have a fun day, my friend.

      Reply
      1. Dorothy’s New Vintage Kitchen

        You too!

        Reply
  4. Mindful Mystic (MM)

    😁You know I love to create good-hearted humor and laughter! Love the idea of stretching while laughing, but I’ll probably get a stitch. 🤣 Thank you for being you, Mary. Gorgeous nature photos, btw, with joyous colors.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thanks, MM. Your feedback is important to me.

      Reply
  5. Monkey’s Tale

    The best medicine 😊 Maggie

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thanks, Maggie. Have a happy day.

      Reply
  6. Nancy Homlitas

    The image of the vibrantly colored flowers is beautiful. Also, your Morale Builder is packed with great advice. Thank you, Mary. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Nancy. May your day be a fun one.

      Reply
      1. Nancy Homlitas

        Thanks! 🙂

        Reply
  7. Kym Gordon Moore

    Thanks for sharing these excerpts on morale builders and boosters Mary. Your message complements your colorful and diverse flavors of flora in your photo! 🥰💐😊 Enjoy the rest of your day my friend. 🌞

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Happy Wednesday, Kym. We need to find things to smile about! Love you, my friend.

      Reply
      1. Kym Gordon Moore

        Honey Mary, you’re so very right about that. There are far too many things that infuriate us and leave us feeling bewildered on a grand scale everyday. So finding hope and joy in the smallest of things is an achievement. 🌟 Keep smiling and keep shining my friend. 🤗🌞😎

        Reply
  8. restlessjo

    Being a comedian is a gift. It’s wonderful to be able to make people laugh xx

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      I hoe your day is going well, Jo. Thank you for commenting.

      Reply
  9. Rosaliene Bacchus

    Thanks for this reminder, Mary. Laughter saves me from a stressful day 😀

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      We need those happy moments, don’t we, Rosaliene. Have a fabulous day.

      Reply
  10. kagould17

    Laughter is the best stress reliever and is so much better than our fist impulse…to hit something. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Allan

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      LOL, Allan. No hitting, please. Happy Wednesday.

      Reply
  11. Willie Torres Jr.

    Such a beautiful reminder to care for ourselves while caring for others. Laughter truly is healing…

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      There is much to laugh at. May your day be joyful, Willie.

      Reply
  12. joannerambling

    I feel good when I laugh, this was a bloody marvelous post

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Ah, thank you, Joan. May you always find much to laugh at.

      Reply
  13. P. J. Gudka

    Really liked this post. I think life will always have difficult moments, we just have to focus on what makes us happy even in those tough times.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      I agree with you, Pooja. May you find much to smile about.

      Reply
      1. P. J. Gudka

        Thanks and you as well.

        Reply
  14. johnlmalone

    wonderful advice, Mary; there is much to draw upon here —

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, John. I hope all is well with you.

      Reply
  15. Stephanie

    Beautiful advice for all of us, Mary.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Stephanie. I’m sure your children can make you laugh. Kids find joy in the littlest things.

      Reply
      1. Stephanie

        They definitely can, Mary. 🙂

        Reply
  16. Neal Saye

    Yes, yes, yes!

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you for reading and acknowledging, Neal. All the best to you.

      Reply
  17. Michele Lee

    Thank you for this wonderful acknowledgement, angel Mary and for our ability to laugh! A precious gift it is!

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      May you find humor every day, sweet Michele.

      Reply
      1. Michele Lee

        Love that! Thank you and you, too.

        Reply
  18. mistermaxxx08

    Teeth or no teeth you better smile and laugh. It’s the best cure

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      LOL, Mister Maxxx. You just made me smile.

      Reply
      1. mistermaxxx08

        I always want to

        Reply
        1. Mary K. Doyle

          Love you, my friend. 🙂

          Reply
          1. mistermaxxx08

            Always the best to you

  19. Hazel

    Thank God, I have a niece and nephew who makes me laugh every day. Oh, Virgo, too. This is so insightful and edifying, Mary!

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Oh, I see from your posts how much joy you receive from them, Hazel. You are great at finding the best in life.

      Reply
      1. Hazel

        Aw, thank you so much, Mary. I always appreciate you visiting my blogs. Simple things make me happy.

        Have an amazing day as you are, Mary.

        Reply
  20. Edward Ortiz

    This is great, Mary. A good laugh can help us get through difficult times.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      I agree, Edward. We don’t want to be distracted from the best of life. Thank you for reading and commenting.

      Reply
      1. Edward Ortiz

        You’re so welcome, Mary.

        Reply
  21. arlene

    Wonderful post Mary.😍

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Arlene. I appreciate you commenting.

      Reply
  22. noga noga

    Good morning and happiness my dear Mary, you did a good job of posting. My wishes and prayers for you and your family for success, happiness and prosperity. ❤❤🙏🏻👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Nougat. All the best to you, as well.

      Reply
  23. Garden Bliss

    Really lovely and inspiring post, Mary. A really good sleep helps me usually. I feel I used to laugh more when I was younger but life gets serious later in life. I definitely need to look after my bright side. 😊

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      The tough stuff robs our joy, and we shouldn’t allow that. Have the most amazing day, Flavia.

      Reply
  24. Kumar_Shahab

    Amazing

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you.

      Reply
  25. GraceoftheSun

    Absolutely wonderful, Mary.💕

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Grace. May you find joy every day.

      Reply
      1. GraceoftheSun

        My pleasure. Thank you so much.💕

        Reply
  26. Eternity

    This is a wonderful post; you are an amazingly gifted writer.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you for your kind message. Have a wonderful day.

      Reply
      1. Eternity

        I love your work. Please keep going

        Reply
  27. SiriusSea

    Hahaha Mary ❤ … You are good medicine!!! Love the flowers in the top image, getting me excited for Spring! Your book Inspired Caregiving Weekly Morale Builders reminds me of The Purpose Driven Life and provides “fuel” for our heavenly tasked assignments. You have trusted hands! I hope today you see something that completely cracks you up and tickles your funny bone, because these sit-ups aren’t a laughing matter! Love and laughter to you ~ 😂 always!

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Hahaha. Love you much, darling Ms. Siri. Have a fabulous day.

      Reply
  28. Ana Daksina

    Okay, that last joke totally did the trick! 🤣

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Silly, but it makes me smile. Glad you liked the joke, Ana. All the best to you.

      Reply
  29. Ritish Sharma

    Laughter is indeed the best medicine. I’m sure your book is a wonderful resource for caregivers looking to prioritize their own self-care.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Ritish. We need to care for ourselves while caring for our loved ones. Have a great day.

      Reply
      1. Ritish Sharma

        Have a great day, Mary 🙌🏼

        Reply
        1. Mary K. Doyle

          Thank you, Ritish. The same to you.

          Reply
  30. Laura

    So sorry I don’t know how I missed this post, Mary 🙏 lovely photo to accompany your beautiful insights into caregiving, which is such a huge part of all of us in many ways whether it’s for friends or family ❤️ I always think that laughter is indeed the best medicine 😊 I hope you are having a great weekend ✨

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Hi Sweet Laura, no worries. I find it difficult to identify new and older comments with this new layout. Sometimes, I only see it through email. I hope you are getting enough rest and your job search is going well. Love you!

      Reply
  31. Destiny

    and thankfully, through everything, life still gifts us moments that we are able to laugh to, at, and with…
    wonderful reminders, Mary … 🤍🙏

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      There’s always something fun even in tough times. I hope all is well with you, Destiny.

      Reply
  32. Kerri Elizabeth

    Laughter, 😆 such a beautiful break between daily doses of responsibility, stress and challenges.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Kerri. I hope you are enjoying the weekend.

      Reply
  33. Ana Daksina

    You make a very good point about endorphins.

    Our bodies lack a dedicated biological endorphin-system pump, so unless we move ~ in very specific ways, too ~ those endorphins don’t flow to their intended receptors.

    The necessary types of movement involve deep belly clenches. The only categories of movement other than belly laughter which provide these are calisthenic sit-ups, sexual climax and deep weeping, none of which are necessarily easy, desirable or even possible for the average individual to generate.

    Laughter really is “the best medicine”!

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Anna, thank you for your important input. You add a lot to the post, and I appreciate you taking the time to do that. Blessings to you, my friend.

      Reply
      1. Ana Daksina

        Thanks for the appreciative reachback. Blessings back!

        Reply
  34. gustavo_horta

    Rir está entre as boas coisas da vida!

    Felicidade. Sempre.

    Reply
  35. gustavo_horta

    Não me canso de repetir o que aprendi em 1993: felicidade é a nossa única obrigação nessa vida sobre a superfície da terra.
    É um aprendizado que eu gosto de repetir porque muitos de nós não entendem este compromisso que se pode chamar de sagrado.
    Nós existimos para sermos felizes. Felicidade não é sinônimo de alegria e na verdade é o conjunto das coisas que acontecem no nosso dia a dia.
    Um certo filósofo chinês que agora não me lembro quem foi, já ensinou que a felicidade não é um destino mas na verdade a felicidade é o caminho.
    Ser feliz é a nossa única obrigação nessa vida.

    Google translation —

    I never tire of repeating what I learned in 1993: happiness is our only obligation in this life on the surface of the earth.
    It’s a lesson that I like to repeat because many of us don’t understand this commitment that can be called sacred.
    We exist to be happy. Happiness is not synonymous with joy and is actually the set of things that happen in our daily lives.
    A certain Chinese philosopher, who I now don’t remember, taught that happiness is not a destination but in fact happiness is the path.
    Being happy is our only obligation in this life.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Essa é uma boa lição. Obrigada. Felicidades para você, Gustavo.

      Reply
      1. gustavo_horta

        Grande abraço fraterno

        Reply
  36. KK

    Thank you, Mary, for smiles. In the entire animal world, only Humans have the capability to smile. Better to utilise this gift.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Good point, Kaushal. May your day be full of smiles.

      Reply
      1. KK

        Thank you! You’re welcome, Mary!

        Reply
  37. Maranda

    What is really hard is when you are disabled and sick enough to need your own caregiver, but still have to try to be the caregiver for your aging parent. I spend a lot of time wishing I had family or other siblings to help take some of the burden.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Caregiving is draining. We have to figure out how to care for ourselves while caring for others, especially when caring for loved ones with dementia. I learned this the hard way. I’m sorry you had to experience this, Maranda. As much as we love and want to care for our parents, it’s difficult even when we are healthy.

      Reply
  38. Birendra Kumar

    So beautiful article with sharing this 🛍️

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Birendra. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  39. spotlightchoices.com-C. Wilson

    Some really good points – at least one good laugh daily is important!

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

      Reply
      1. spotlightchoices.com-C. Wilson

        You are welcome!

        Reply
  40. vermavkv

    So beautiful.

    Reply
    1. Mary K. Doyle

      Thank you, Vijay. May you find much to enjoy today.

      Reply

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