《老友记》：笑声的力量
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老桑说
当我们在生活中都面临困难的时候，试着保持乐观。每天都要笑一笑，因为它是最好的良药。
「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。 」
老桑在《老友记》公寓
很难相信距离最后一集《老友记》的播出已经15年了。尽管时光荏苒，但这部剧在美国、中国以及几乎所有其他地方仍然非常受欢迎。它经久不衰的秘诀是什么呢？人们给出了很多答案，但我认为可以归结为一个原因：这部剧让我们开怀大笑。
老桑在《老友记》拍摄地
我最近到纽约拜访了纽约西村的《老友记。公寓。许多世界各地的游客(包括一个来自湖南家庭)，都在那栋标志性的公寓楼前驻足拍照，讨论着自己最喜欢的角色。源源不断的粉丝和游客是这部剧经久不衰魅力的证明。
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上周，我写了一篇关于休息的重要性的文章，内容是为了帮助你适时休整以更好地解决问题。（请看《停滞不前？先休息一会儿》）文章中分享了一些关于如何“休息一会儿”的建议，比如冥想、跑步、小睡或者深呼吸。读完这篇文章，一些读者朋友与我联系希望得到更多的指导。
除了我建议的方法，我认为读者们也可以寻找一种快速简单的方法来帮助他们摆脱困境——那些可以在instant（瞬间）帮助你平静下来的一些事情。当生活的压力把我们压垮时，我们不能总是坐下来冥想，出去跑步，或者躺下来小睡一会儿。那么，除了“休息一会儿”之外还有其他的办法吗?
很简单，一个字：“笑”。
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愉快的心，是良好的治疗；神志忧郁，能使肋骨枯萎（箴言篇17:22）
”你最后一次开怀大笑是什么时候?
许多人都过着solemn（严肃）而忧郁的生活。我们可能认为自己必须认真负责，但有可能负责和保持良好心态二者可以兼得。当我们紧张地度过一天，就可能会忘记生活的意义，忽视了到哪里寻找快乐。而获得快乐的一个方法就是找到一些令人发笑的东西。这只需要几秒钟的时间。
研究表明，笑可以改善你的健康。笑也可以增强你的免疫系统，改善你的情绪，减轻疼痛，消减压力带来的影响。幽默可以减轻你的负担，激发你的希望，并让你与他人产生联系。它还能帮助你释放愤怒，更快地原谅别人。
《老友记》剧照
此外，笑可以帮助你保持年轻。研究表明，它能释放“青春荷尔蒙”，减缓衰老过程。当我们sullen（闷闷不乐）、灰心丧气地生活时，我们会抑制自己内在的治愈能力。但是如果你经常笑，就可能起到延年益寿的效果。
对于患有失眠和焦虑等ailment（疾病）的病人，一些医生要求他们去观看有趣的电影，读有意思的图书，每天都能笑起来。他们报告说，这些病人能够一点点地找回他们的快乐，体验更多的正能量，感觉更好。
但遗憾的是，随着年龄的增长，我们笑得越来越少。孩子平均每天笑150次，而成年人平均每天只笑三次。这就是为什么我们需要有意识地记住如何笑。压力会使我们紧张，但笑能放松全身。生活可能会将我们压垮，但笑可以呵护我们的心灵，减轻生气带来的负担。
“笑声是最好的良药”是一个常用的英语习语。它的意思是说，大笑是一种非常有效的帮助身体或精神从损伤中恢复的方法。一般来说，这也意味着保持积极的人生观有助于战胜消极情绪，带给你度过艰难期的力量。
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“休息一会儿”其中的一个方法就是大笑。当你笑着发现生活中的幽默时，其实是在充实自我，让自己精神焕发。然后你就能换一种方式来看待自身的处境，身心放轻松，然后与自己平和相处。你肯定可以在这个过程中得到乐趣。
不管你的背景如何，你都可以在人生的任何阶段学会微笑。你可以尝试笑的更多一些，这通常会让别人也报以微笑。你可以细数自己所得到的祝福，回忆你应该感激的事情。你也可以在对话中更幽默一些，比如询问对方：“你今天经历的最有趣的事情是什么?”
一家医院让那些长期患病的病人们到操场去看孩子们玩。当病人听到孩子们的声声欢笑时，悦耳的声音也刺激着他们身体自然痊愈的过程。这影响着他们的希望，帮助他们更快恢复。如果仅仅听到别人的笑声就能帮助疾病的痊愈，想象一下自己的笑声能为你带来什么。
如果你仍然需要一些帮助来学习如何笑出来，这里有两个建议:
Spend time with people who laugh.
笑是会contagious（传染的）。快乐的人都是社交磁铁，因为他们的笑声会吸引朋友。如果你需要休息一下，找一个喜欢笑的朋友。或者是去拜访一位具有幽默感的人，看看他们是如何在生活中发现幽默的。当你们一起笑的时候，你们之间也会形成一种特殊的纽带。
同时,你也可以创造一个可以和朋友和家人们享受快乐的环境，沉浸在那种和他人在一起的时光。这种氛围会给你们的关系带来新的活力和新鲜感。想想自上一次你的家里或是办公室被笑声萦绕已经过去多久了呢?
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观看有趣的电影、电视或在线视频
Watch a funny movie, TV show, or online video.
需要笑声的刺激吗？可以试着看看《老友记》。每一集都有几句笑点。即使你看翻译的版本，你也会忍不住大笑。这部喜剧描述了这对朋友在寻找爱情、事业和幸福的过程中timeless（永恒的）冒险经历。
纽约《老友记》公寓
另一个我最喜欢的节目是《轻松一笑》。该系列节目使用一个隐藏的摄像头来戏弄那些毫无戒心的拍摄对象，捕捉他们的反应。我最喜欢的一集是《丛林中的外星人》(Alien in the bush)，在这一集里，当人们穿过公园时，会听到灌木丛中传来奇怪的声音。当他们走近时，一个外星人就会跳出来追赶他们。吓得人们尖叫!
除了电视剧，还有很多有趣的电影可以看，比如《飞机、火车和汽车》。如果你不喜欢《老友记》，可以试试看《生活大爆炸》。很多书和漫画也很有趣(例如《一个叫欧维的男人决定去死》就是一部融合了戏剧和喜剧的优秀作品)。总之，找到适合自己的方法，没有对错之分。
尽管《老友记》取景地是在纽约的格林威治村，但它实际上是在洛杉矶附近的华纳兄弟电影公司拍摄的。如今，如果你去华纳兄弟工作室参观，就可以到剧中的咖啡馆里坐一坐，在中央公园咖啡馆（Central Perk）的沙发上拍照。在中国，你可以在北京、上海、广州和深圳的中央咖啡馆主题分店享受一杯咖啡的时光。
参观华纳弟兄工作室
Joey演出的Lucille Lortel剧院
老桑在真实的中央咖啡馆Central Perk
我的朋友，笑对身体、精神和社会都有很多好处。当我们在生活中都面临困难的时候，试着保持乐观。不要落入灰心丧气的陷阱，而要在困难中保持轻松愉快的心情。每天都要笑一笑，因为它是最好的良药。最重要的是，这种无价的良药不仅有益、免费，还触手可及。
本文部分图片来源网络。
谢谢收看《老桑说》。
给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
英文版
English
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Friends: Learn to Laugh
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
It’s hard to believe that it has been 15 years since the last Friends episode aired. Despite the passage of time, the show remains very popular in the United States, China, and almost everywhere else. What is the secret to its lasting appeal? Many reasons have been posited, but I think it all boils down to one: the show makes us laugh.
On my recent visit to New York, I visited the Friends apartment building in the West Village. There were tourists from all over of the world (including a family from Hunan) taking pictures in front of the iconic apartment building and talking about their favorite characters. This stream of fans and tourists is a testament to the enduring appeal of the show.
Learn to laugh
Last week I wrote about the importance of taking breaks to recharge and help resolve problems (see Stuck on a problem? Take Five). I gave some suggestions on how to “take five,” such as meditating, running, taking a nap, or just taking some deep breaths. After reading that article, some readers contacted me to ask for more guidance.
In addition to the methods I suggested, I think readers are also looking for a quick and easy remedy to use when they’re in a bind—something to be done in an instant to help calm you down. When the pressures of life weigh us down, we can’t always sit and meditate, go out for a run, or lie down and take a nap. So, is there another way to “take five”?
There is. In a word: laugh.
Laughter is the best medicine
A joyful heart is the health of the body, but a depressed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
”When was the last time you let out a good, hearty laugh?
Many of us lead solemn and somber lives. We may think that we have to be serious to be responsible. But it is possible to be both responsible and good-natured. When we go about our day, stressed out and tense, we may forget the meaning of life and neglect to find the joy there. One way to find joy is find something to laugh at. And it only takes a few seconds.
Studies have shown that laughter can improve your health. Laughter can strengthen your immune system, boost your mood, reduce pain, and diminish the effects of stress. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, and connects you to others. It can also help you release anger and forgive sooner.
Moreover, laughter can help you stay younger. Studies have shown that it releases the “youth hormone” that slows the aging process. When we live sullen and discouraged, we can suppress our own internal healing powers. But if you laugh a lot, you may add some years to your life.
For patients with ailments such as insomnia and anxiety, some doctors prescribe that they watch any funny movie they can find, read any funny book, and laugh each day. They report that these patients, little by little, can get their joy back, experience more energy, and feel better.
But sadly, as we grow older, we tend to laugh less. The average child laughs 150 times a day, but the average adult only laughs three times a day. This is all the more reason for us to be conscious of remembering how to laugh. Stress winds us up, but laughter relaxes the whole body. Life can weigh us down, but laughter protects the heart and lightens anger’s heavy load.
"Laugher is the best medicine" is a common idiom used in English. It means, laughing a lot can be a very effective means of recovering from physical or mental injury. More generally, it also means that maintaining a positive outlook on life will help combat negative emotions and give you strength to get through hard times.
“Take five” with laughter
One way to “take five” is simply to laugh. As you laugh and find the humor in life, you are recharging and refreshing yourself. You may then see your situation in a different way, lighten up, and come to peace with your circumstances. You may even have fun in the process.
Regardless of your background, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life. You can smile more, which usually causes someone to smile back. You can count your blessings, reflecting on the things you can be grateful for. You can also bring humor into your conversations, like asking people, “What’s the funniest thing that happened to you today?”
A hospital took its long-term sick patients to a local playground to watch children play. As the patients heard the children laugh over and over, the sound of laughter stimulated their bodies’ natural healing process. It affected their outlook and helped them recover faster. Just hearing other people laugh helps bring healing. Imagine what laughter can do for you.
If you still need some help learning how to laugh, here are two suggestions:
Spend time with people who laugh.
Laughter is contagious. Joyful people are social magnets, as their laughter attracts friends. If you need a break, find a friend who enjoys to laugh. Visit with a friend who has a great sense of humor, and see how they find humor in life’s situations. And as you laugh together, you’ll form a special bond as well.
At the same time, create an environment where you take time to laugh with friends, have fun with your family, and just enjoy being around other people. This atmosphere will bring new life and freshness into your relationships. How long has it been that there has been laughter in your home or office?
Watch a funny movie, TV show, or online video.
Still need help laughing? Try watching Friends. In each episode, there are several laugh lines. Even if you watch the show in translation, you can’t help but laugh. Episodes depict the friends’ timeless comedic adventures as they try to find love, careers, and happiness.
Friends Apartment
Another one of my favorite shows is Just for Laughs: Gags. The series uses a hidden camera to play pranks on unsuspecting subjects, capturing their reactions. One of my favorite episodes is Alien in the Bushes, in which people walking through a park check out strange noises coming from a moving bush. As they approach, an alien pops out and chases them away. Hysterical!
In addition to TV shows, there are plenty of funny movies to watch, like Planes, Trains & Automobiles. If you don’t like Friends, maybe try watching The Big Bang Theory. There are also plenty of funny books and comics as well (A Man Called Ove is a great blend of drama and comedy). In sum, find what works for you, as there’s no right or wrong “prescription.”
Even though Friends was set in New York’s Greenwich Village, it was actually filmed at Warner Brothers Studios near Los Angeles. Today, if you go on the studio tour, you can visit the café and take your photo on the real Central Perk couch. In China, you can enjoy a cup of coffee at Central Perk replica cafes in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
Lucille Lortel Theatre
Central Perk,
Warner Brothers Studio Tour
My friend, laughter has many physical, mental, and social benefits. As we all face tough times in life, try to be of good cheer. Don’t fall into the trap of discouragement, but rather, try to be light-hearted in the midst of difficulty. And laugh every day, as laughter is the best medicine. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Instant \ ˈin(t)-stənt \
a)含义：n. 瞬间
b)例句：
i.In addition to the methods I suggested, I think readers are also looking for a quick and easy remedy to use when they’re in a bind—something to be done in an instant to help calm you down.
除了我建议的方法，我认为读者们也可以寻找一种快速简单的方法来帮助他们摆脱困境——那些可以在瞬间帮助你平静下来的一些事情。
ii.Instant is good, not seizing the moment is sad.
瞬间是美好的，没有抓住瞬间是悲哀的。
c)近义词： flash, moment, twinkling
2.Solemn \ ˈsä-ləm \
a)含义： adj. 严肃的；庄严的
b)例句：
i.Many of us lead solemn and somber lives.
许多人都过着严肃而忧郁的生活。
ii.His laughter was not becoming on that solemn occasion.
他在那种严肃场合笑是不适宜的。
c)近义词： grave, humorless, sober
3.Sullen \ ˈsə-lən \
a)含义：adj. 不高兴的；阴沉的
b)例句：
i.When we live sullen and discouraged, we can suppress our own internal healing powers.
当我们闷闷不乐、灰心丧气地生活时，我们会抑制自己内在的治愈能力。
ii.The sullen child refused to answer my questions.
那愠怒的孩子拒绝回答我的问题。
c)近义词： cheerless, funereal, somber
4.Contagious
\ kən-ˈtā-jəs \
a)含义：adj. 感染性的
b)例句：
i.Laughter is contagious.
笑是会传染的。
ii.Laughing at the same joke would help us to show affiliation with others, and this may be why it is especially contagious.
就同一个笑话大笑能展示我们对别人的接纳和认可，这也许是为什么大笑尤其有传染性的原因。
c)近义词： catching, infectious, spreading
5.Timeless \ ˈtīm-ləs \
a)含义：adj. 永恒的
b)例句：
i.Episodes depict the friends’ timeless comedic adventures as they try to find love, careers, and happiness.
这部喜剧描述了这对朋友在寻找爱情、事业和幸福的过程中永恒的冒险经历。
ii.When some people say we can't do it, we will respond to them with this timeless creed: Yes, we can.
当有人说我们办不到的时候，我们要以这个永恒的信条来回应他们：是的，我们能做到。
c)近义词： enduring, perennial, undying
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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