Has life got you down? If so, it’s time to laugh your way to success. Laughter has been proven to reduce stress, increase optimism, mood, and motivation, and make your more attractive to other people. Plus, you feel so good while laughing.

Recently, we had world-renowned comedy author and teacher, Steve Kaplan, on Love University, as he shared some great tips for applying comedy and humor principles into our daily lives:

*Laugh and the World Laughs With You: In psychology, mood contagion occurs when you are affected by others people’s moods (happy, sad, angry), or they are affected by your mood. Applying this principle, it’s a good idea to smile and laugh frequently, and others will tend to respond in the same jovial way to you (except for a few of the humorless types). At the same time, surround yourself with kind, good-hearted people who have a good sense of humor about life. These “humor” buddies will help lift your spirits when you feel down as you do the same for them.

*Maintain Hope: A comedy is usually about an ordinary person struggling against insurmountable odds without ever giving up hope. In the same way, you can maintain your faith and hope that you will win in the end—this positive, optimistic mindset can lead you to great success despite turmoil and obstacles.

*It’s Not That Bad: In comedic philosophy, you learn that everything that happens to you is OK. If you lose the relationship; you can find a better relationship, or you can learn how to be a better lover. If you lose the job, you can find a better job, or better yet, start an entirely new career or business. The things that seemed the worst often turn out to be the best things that happen to you.

*Share Who You Are: There are many different kinds of comedians: nerdy/loser types, insult comics, angry comics, depressed comics, observational comics, and so forth. The key to the success of the best ones is that they are always true to themselves. In a similar way, make sure you share your true nature with people in your everyday life—even if you think others may not like it. Some people will love your style, and you will be happy to connect with those who truly resonate with you.

*You Have Permission to Win: In improvisational acting/comedy, the participants are given permission to win utilizing whatever creative means they can to solve a practical problem or social dilemma. In the real world, you can psychologically give yourself permission to win. Tell yourself that you can win the heart of your desirable romantic partner; you can discover fortune and career satisfaction;; you can find happiness, health, and peace;. By giving yourself permission to win, your chances of actually enjoying life increase significantly.

Yes, applying the psychology of comedy and humor to your life can help you achieve an entirely new level of joy, satisfaction, and success. With joy, optimism, and humor as your guiding principles, you can go a long way to establishing a lasting positive imprint in your world.