SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO LAUGH NO MATTER THE CONDITION

This morning I woke up to the usual Monday morning chaos on the streets of Lagos. Everyone seemed to be as energetic and resilient as ever and it was hard to tell who was not happy. The beginning of the week comes with a lot of promises and expectations. You have plans, targets and goals to be met before the end of the week. Some of them were actually carried over from the week before and the one before that. Monday mornings are like new beginnings for most people, another opportunity to give a shot at all the things left unachieved. The streets of Lagos are the worse for it because that is the road we must all take on our path to redemption.   

Sometimes I just wish I were still a little child and didn’t have to work to earn a living or hustle as the case may be. I remember how easy life was growing up; you have little or nothing to worry about. Whatever you wanted, you were sure your parents would provide or at least make an effort. Now the receiver has turned the provider and reality has set in. As a child I was often happy because I didn’t have to worry about where the next meal will come from but now as adults, it’s so much harder to be carefree and laugh, with all of our worries and concerns.

Life is filled with obstacles and problems; it’s how you face them that make the difference. Sometimes life gets so difficult that you just have to be able to laugh. Have you ever been so stressed, and then you suddenly feel better because you thought of something that made you laugh so hard. Life can be difficult, but it’s still beautiful. As we struggle everyday to get the things we think will make our life complete like money, love, fame; we ignore the most important thing in life, happiness.

It is a tough challenge for anyone to try and get me sad because the chances are very slim. I have reconfigured my system to always be happy regardless of the situation I am in. That way it gives me a better chance of getting out of the obstacle in one piece. I have realized that however bad a situation is, it will not last forever. Most people close to me even get angry when I laugh at what they expect me to be worried and worked up over. My mother tops this list followed by all the other women in my life. Women seem to worry more than the men but it’s sometimes out of care and love. That a topic for another day.

If we worry about what the future may hold we miss our opportunity to live and enjoy the moment. We cannot know what may be in store for us so worrying is not going to help one bit. It is better to focus on what is within our control now and do the best we are capable of. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful. As rough and tough as the world seem to be don’t forget to see the softer side. Life will always be full of challenges, adversity, and ups and downs. It’s easy to get caught up in the commotion and focus on the negative. But always remember that life is too short to waste your time dwelling on all the things around you that are not working right.

You can reduce the stress by finding a reason to laugh every day especially when you have had a particularly difficult day. A good belly laugh has a lot of advantages including reducing stress. Sometimes you have to be your own comedian, it pays off eventually. Everything can change in the twinkle of an eye; keep laughing because God’s got you covered. Have a laughter filled week.