Be Lighthearted—and Stay Healthier!
“Through humor, people become more tolerant, handle frustrations well, and maintain physical and mental health,” states São Paulo University Professor Sueli Damergian. According to a report in the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, good humor can be learned—just like reading and writing. Clearly, this requires a change in thinking for a grumpy person. Explains professor of psychology Raquel Rodrigues Kerbauy: “If one thinks that he will only be able to smile when the world is just, he will be ill-tempered forever. After all, there are injustices everywhere.” Even with a full schedule, good-natured people enjoy their social contacts, notes the report. They value such little things as “a chat, a candy, or five minutes of good music.” Damergian cautions, however: “One should not confuse good humor with frivolity and bad taste.”
