This video originally appeared on Oprah.com.
Laughter may actually be the best medicine! People define happiness in many different ways, but at its core, leading researchers have proven that happiness involves feeling positive emotions, expressing that life is good and meaningful. Understanding, accepting and living this idea of happiness reduces your risk of heart disease, strengthens your immune system, and might ultimately add years to your life. Happiness is also deeply intertwined into the idea of “Pay-It-Forward” and when you are happy, you tend to prioritize positivity in your day-to-day activity. When you laugh or smile or even think a good thought, your body responds to that just as much as your mind does.
It doesn’t take much to realize how beautiful the world around you really is. The more beauty you see, the more you smile—and the healthier you feel. Have you noticed differences in your health when you smile more?
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Gratitude Revealed is a journey into the science, mystery and building blocks of gratitude. In a series of 16 film shorts, acclaimed time-lapse cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg shows us not only what these ideas look like, but how they can be expressed in our daily lives. These stunning shorts have also aired as SuperSoul Sunday Shorts on the OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. This journey begins with gratitude but the destination is entirely up to you, the viewer. Start your journey by watching the video above and continue it by exploring Connection deeper by clicking here.