“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” — Proverbs 17:22 (NIV).

In today’s world, we all run the risk of crushing our own spirit with the anxieties of life. We carry concerns regarding our home, about paying the bills, our marriage, our children, and our jobs. When our mind is fixed on the big picture of our world’s overwhelming stress, it’s easy to feel despair and hopelessness. Sometimes we have to narrow the view from the big picture and focus on the little things that strike us as humorous.

If we intentionally slow down and take in the present, it’s easier to see the good, the positive, things that make you laugh, reasons to smile, and the encouraging things that help create “a cheerful heart.” When we intentionally change our thinking away from our worries, we’ll fight off the inevitable problems that come with being too serious.

This week, take a moment to laugh when something strikes you as humorous.