World Laughter Day: The Healing Sound Within

 

World Laughter Day logo

On the first Sunday each May the world pauses—in laughter.

World Laughter Day, founded in 1998 by Dr. Madan Kataria, is more than a celebration. It’s a movement. A global invitation to rediscover the joy that lives within us, waiting to be released. With over 6,000 Laughter Clubs worldwide, this day reminds us that laughter is not just a reaction—it’s a practice, a medicine, and a bridge between hearts.

“It has been scientifically proven that laughter is both preventive and therapeutic.” — Dr. Madan Kataria

Laughter as Connection

Laughter is a universal language. It doesn’t require translation, credentials, or permission. It rises from the body like breath, and in that moment—whether shared with a friend, a stranger, we are connected.

World Laughter Day aims to foster global friendship through laughter, reminding us that joy is a common thread in the human experience. It’s a gentle rebellion against isolation, fear, and division. When we laugh together, we dissolve the barriers that separate us.

The Science of Joy

Laughter isn’t just emotional—it’s physiological. Studies show that laughter:

• Boosts immunity and lowers stress hormones

• Improves cardiovascular health and blood circulation

• Releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals

• Enhances mood, energy, and resilience

• Strengthens social bonds and empathy

Laughter Yoga, the practice pioneered by Dr. Kataria, combines intentional laughter with deep breathing. Even simulated laughter—when practiced regularly—can lead to genuine joy and improved well-being. It’s proof that the body doesn’t wait for a reason to heal. It just needs permission.

Within Yourself: The Laughing Heart

At All Things Good  we believe that healing begins inside. Laughter is one of the most accessible tools we have. It doesn’t erase pain, but it softens it. It doesn’t deny struggle, but it reminds us that joy can coexist with grief.

So this World Laughter Day, consider:

• Joining a local or online Laughter Yoga session

• Watching something that makes you laugh without guilt or restraint

• Creating a laughter ritual—morning giggles, silly dances, playful affirmations

• Sharing a moment of joy with someone who needs it

Let your laughter be a balm. Let it be a bridge. Let it be a reminder that all things good—especially joy—begin within yourself.

More info about World Laughter Day

More information on laughing and smiling:

Laughter and chronic illness

What's in a Smile?

The Happiness Institute

and more at GNN SMILE

GOOD QUOTES at tumblr

Please follow All Things Good to tumblr where we have started a blog called GOOD QUOTES

You can submit your favourite quotes there soon with a link back to you.
They can be text of picture quotes:

Happy New Year

Wishing you all things good

in 2012

What is your good resolution?

It is interesting to hear what others attempt for their new years resolution beyond the norm of stop smoking, lose weight, drink less - all less, less, what about more?
We wish each other health, happiness and success but how do these wishes translate and manifest in our ordinary lives? Maybe you could eat more vegetables or take some vitamins for good health but this all sounds a bit mundane to me. Why not try doing some good for others and lift ourselves out of the everyday? There are many causes and many ways of giving, as you can see at right, but what good will you try?

INSPIRATION:

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill
"It is not length of life, but depth of life." Ralph Waldo Emerson
More good quotes at right and scroll down.

THANKYOU
lizette_natalie
for Bokeh photo

It's A New Year

A new year...now that has got to be good...hope, promise, a chance to wipe the slate clean, a chance to start again, re invent myself in a better light, do something good, wish for good, be good, be a do gooder, feel good...so many choices...

What will you do in this new year?

"Another year over, A new one just begun..." JOHN LENNON from ' WAR IS OVER'

The photo is the human peace sign made in Hungary taken by LordSleeper

'I pray for a more friendly,
More caring, and more understanding
Human family on this planet.' The Dalai Lama

Please visit for more details at Peace is a state of harmony

Track santa on Google earth!

Do you know about the Santa tracking service? It has been happening for over 50 years. It started because of one kind man and a mistake in a phone number.

The tracking service began in 1955 after a Sears Roebuck & Co. ad. for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. "Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born."

Happy Holidays to you and your family wishing you All Things Good - Health, happiness, safety, friends, family, laughter and the ability to be grateful for this life that we have...

Welcome to NORAD Tracks Santa where you can track Santa on google earth

Books for babies

Great Australian author, Mem Fox, is passionate about reading to babies from birth and the magic it creates. She believes reading with your child, or any child, has wonderful effects on the babies development. Of course many studies confirm the value of reading aloud to very young children especially in the cognitive area. Mem says"I'd like to deemphasize the brain for a while by focusing yet again on the heart and the role that emotional factors play in the development of literacy...on intangible, affective influences on reading because I believe it's time someone stood up and told those miserable, measurable, cognitive factors they've had more then their fair share of our time for years, with precious little to show for it other than an appalling level of illiteracy and a high level of cultural ignorance." Mem Fox in “Radical Reflections”, 1993.
So what books are good to read to babies? Basically any picture books you enjoy reading.

I like:

I Went Walking by Sue Machin

Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

Spring is Here by Taro Gomi

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr

Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Baby Faces by DK Publishing

and of course books by Mem Fox like:

Where is the Green Sheep and

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

- Lots more book suggestions at Early Childhood.

- EARLY CHILDHOOD BOOKSTORE which contains most books suggested on this site.

- For more information on Why you should be reading to children get Reading Magic by Mem Fox

All About Good

The Meaning of Good... from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary ...

good adjective PLEASANT
good adjective HIGH QUALITY
good adjective SUCCESSFUL
good adjective KIND
good adjective MORALLY RIGHT
good adjective POSITIVE
good adjective BEHAVIOUR
good adjective SUITABLE
good adjective LARGE
good adjective SATISFACTION
good noun THINGS
good noun HELP
good noun HEALTH
good noun MORALLY RIGHT
good noun TIME
good afternoon exclamation
the good book noun
good day exclamation
good evening exclamation
good-for-nothing noun
good-for-nothing adjective
Good Friday noun
good-hearted adjective
good-humoured adjective
good-looking adjective
good looks plural noun
good money noun
good morning exclamation
good-natured adjective
good night exclamation
good old boy noun
good-time girl noun
a good word noun
no-good adjective
good breeding noun, at breeding (noun) BEHAVIOUR
the Good Book noun, at the good book (noun)
Good Heavens! exclamation, at Heavens (above)! (exclamation)
be of good cheer
for the common good
be good company
(good) discipline
so far so good
be no good
get off to a good start
be not any/much good, at be no good
be so good as to
do (sb) a good turn
be good enough to, at be so good as to
a good deal of
a good ...
a good ...'s, at a good ...
do you good
the good
for good
that's a (good) point
good riddance (to bad rubbish)
a good Samaritan
stand sb in good stead
it's a good thing
be good training for sth
be in good voice
turn/use sth to good account
All good things (must) come to an end.
have something on good authority
be a good bet
A change is as good as a rest.
be in good company
in good conscience, at in all conscience
give as good as you get
while the going is good
be a good job/thing
all in good time
as good as
be (as) good as gold
be (as) good as new
be as good as your word
be good for sth
be good to go
Be good, and if you can't be good, be careful.
for good measure
good and ...
good and proper
Good for you!
Good on you!, at Good for you!
Good heavens/grief/gracious!
Good God/Lord!, at Good heavens/grief/gracious!
the good old days
good show
have a good innings
in good faith
in good time
make good
make good time
be up to no good
no good
to the good
what good is ...
what's the good of ..., at what good is ...
the great and the good
Your guess is as good as mine.
do more harm than good
A good time was had by all.
hold good
It's an ill wind (that blows nobody any good).
jolly good
Jolly good show!
a good listener
Good Lord, at (Oh) Lord
for (good) luck
have half a mind/a good mind to do sth
No news is good news.
A nod's as good as a wink.
have a (good) nose for sth
Good things come in small packages.
do sb a power of good
Any publicity is good publicity.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
have a good run for your money
be in good shape
There's a good boy/girl/dog!
be on to a good thing
throw good money after bad
too good to be true
too good to miss
too much of a good thing
One good turn deserves another.
very good
all well and good, at all very well
put in a good word for sb
do sb the world of good