Cheerfulness as a Life Power

Cheerfulness as a Life Power

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Title: Cheerfulness as a Life Power
Author: Orison Swett Marden
Release Date: May 15, 2006 [EBook #18394]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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CHEERFULNESS AS A LIFE POWER
BY
ORISON SWETT MARDEN
Author of "Pushing to the Front," "The Secret of Achievement," etc.; and Editor of "Success."
Tenth Thousand
New York Thomas Y. Crowell & Company Publishers Copyright, 1899 By Orison Swett Marden

A FOREWORD.
The soul-consuming and friction-wearing tendency of this hurrying, grasping, competing age is the excuse for this booklet. Is it not an absolute necessity to get rid of all irritants, of everything which worries and frets, and which brings discord into so many lives? Cheerfulness has a wonderful lubricating power. It lengthens the life of human machinery, as lubricants lengthen the life of inert machinery. Life's delicate bearings should not be carelessly ground away for mere lack of oil. What is needed is a habit of cheerfulness, to enjoy every day as we go along; not to fret and stew all the week, and then expect to make up for it Sunday or on some holiday. It is not a question of mirth so much as of cheerfulness; not alone that which accompanies laughter, but serenity,--a calm, sweet soul-contentment and inward peace. Are there not multitudes of people who have the "blues," who yet wish well to their neighbors? They would say kind words and make the world happier--but they "haven't the time." To lead them to look on the sunny side of things, and to take a little time every day to speak pleasant words, is the message of the hour.
THE AUTHOR.
In the preparation of these pages, amid the daily demands of journalistic work, the author has been assisted by Mr. E. P. Tenney, of Cambridge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
I. WHAT VANDERBILT PAID FOR TWELVE LAUGHS 7 THE LAUGH CURE 9 A CHEAP MEDICINE 13 WHY DON'T YOU LAUGH? 14
II. THE CURE FOR AMERICANITIS 16 A WORRYING WOMAN 19 OUR HAWAIIAN PARADISE 22 A WEATHER BREEDER 24 "WHAT IS AN OPTIMIST?" 27 LIVING UP THANKSGIVING AVENUE 29
III. OILING YOUR BUSINESS MACHINERY 31 SINGING AT YOUR WORK 33 GOOD HUMOR 35 "LE DIABLE EST MORT" 38
IV. TAKING YOUR FUN EVERY DAY AS YOU DO YOUR WORK 42 UNWORKED JOY MINES 44 THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD 45
V. FINDING WHAT YOU DO NOT SEEK 51 CHARLES LAMB 53 JOHN B. GOUGH 55 PHILLIPS BROOKS 60
VI. "LOOKING PLEASANT"--A THING TO BE WORKED FROM THE INSIDE 64 WORTH FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS 66 THE "DON'T WORRY" SOCIETY 67 A PLEASURE BOOK 69
VII. THE SUNSHINE-MAN 73

CHEERFULNESS AS A LIFE POWER.

I. WHAT VANDERBILT PAID FOR TWELVE LAUGHS.
William K. Vanderbilt, when he last visited Constantinople, one day invited Coquelin the elder, so celebrated for his powers as a mimic, who happened to be in the city at the time, to give a private recital on board his yacht, lying in the Bosphorus. Coquelin spoke three of his monologues. A few days afterwards Coquelin received the following memorandum from the millionaire:--
"You have brought tears to our eyes and laughter to our hearts. Since all philosophers are agreed that laughing is preferable to weeping, your account with me stands thus:--
"For tears, six times . . . $600 "For laughter, twelve times . . 2,400 ------ $3,000
"Kindly acknowledge receipt of enclosed check."
"I find nonsense singularly refreshing," said Talleyrand. There is good philosophy in the saying, "Laugh and grow fat." If everybody knew the power of laughter as a health tonic and life prolonger the tinge of sadness which now clouds the American face would largely disappear, and many physicians would find their occupation gone.
The power of laughter was given us to serve a wise purpose in our economy. It is Nature's device for exercising the internal organs and giving us pleasure at the same time.
Laughter begins in the lungs and diaphragm, setting the liver, stomach, and other internal organs into a quick, jelly-like vibration, which gives a pleasant sensation and exercise, almost equal to that of horseback riding. During digestion, the movements of the stomach are similar to churning. Every time you take a full breath, or when you cachinnate well, the diaphragm descends and gives the stomach an extra squeeze and shakes it. Frequent laughing sets the stomach to dancing, hurrying up the digestive process. The heart beats faster, and sends the blood bounding through the body. "There is not," says Dr. Green, "one remotest corner or little