“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” - Charlie Chaplin

Today is National Belly Laugh Day, a day dedicated to the contagious expression of us.

We all speak joy. It’s a language that transcends our differences and brings us together. This is why a laugh can be so contagious. A nine-year-old boy from the heart of the Midwest on vacation for the first time at Disneyworld can laugh right alongside an octogenarian grandmother of seven from Vietnam as Mickey Mouse dances with Pluto. The two may have nothing else in common aside from the smiles on their faces, but that is enough to share in that moment.

Laughter is not just a common ground for our minds; our health improves the more we laugh. It stimulates your organs with oxygen-rich air, your heart, lungs, muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released in your brain. It also improves your immune system by releases neuropeptides that help fight stress, relieve pain with natural painkillers, and improve your overall health by lessening anxiety and depression.

So in honor of National Belly Laugh Day, share your laugh with the world. Express yourself. Laugh! We will all be better for it.