• Look in the mirror and make the wildest, most distorted face you can make. Now make an even wilder one.
• Throw away your troubles. Stand up right now. Form your hands into fists and bring them together at the center of your chest. Raise your elbows on a line with your fists. Thrust your shoulders and elbows back sharply, as if you are trying to shake something off your back and shoulders. After the thrust, let your fists come together again at the level of your chest, and thrust your shoulders and elbows back again. Do this six to eight times in rapid succession, saying “get off my back” each time you thrust back. Release whatever is burdening you.
• Read the comics in today's paper. Forget the front page for a while.
• Put on a comedy video, if you have one. Cue it up to your favorite funny part, and play it and replay it several times. Rent a few comedy tapes or go to a light, entertaining movie. Do this regularly.
• Collect jokes. Ask anyone around you for a joke or two. Get on an e-mail joke-mailing list. Call a friend and have them tell you a joke, even if they know you’ve heard it before. Now you share one with them. Get silly!
• Watch young children at play. Note the spontaneity and sheer delight that often characterizes their activities.
• Remember laughing so hard that your stomach hurt? Can you recall what provoked that? Let yourself feel it again.

It takes a long time to become young.—Pablo Picasso

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