When I grew up, parents would often mention how you should be careful about cultivating friendships with the "right kids." As children, we would hear the saying, "guilty by association," which meant, if our friends got into trouble, so would we, and there were always consequences.

Why is it that many adults forget this still applies to adult life? If anyone, of any age, exposes himself or herself to negative people, there will be consequences. Years of under achievement usually indicate that we have been in the wrong place or listened to the wrong information for far too long.

It is written in Proverbs 12:26: "The righteous should choose his friends carefully. For the way of the wicked leads them astray." This should be hard wired into our memories, but we often forget.

Make sure that you consult with people you deeply trust and who have a track record of integrity. These are trusted friends and a priceless asset in your life.

If the people you associate with are negative thinkers, and cannot be trusted, you should make some major changes in life. This is hard talk, but you cannot rid yourself of anxiety, or improve your life, to its complete potential, in a negative environment. You can take control of your life by changing your environment.

The Dr. Kataria School of Laughter Yoga has received much exposure over the past few years because of the medicinal benefits of laughter. Laughing strengthens your immune system and reduces anxiety.

Dr. Madan Kataria is on to something, as laughter could be combined with Pranayama sessions for maximum benefits. In life, there is a shortage of laughing. Unfortunately, too many people take themselves too seriously.

If you feel foolish laughing for 20 minutes a day for good physical, emotional, and mental health, you may want to consider laughing alone, or joining a Laughter Yoga club. The benefits of laughing are too good to miss out on.

Yet, the average adult laughs less than 20 times per day. Children often laugh over 100 times in a day. No wonder so many adults and teens are so stressed out.

Laughter reduces stress, protects your heart, lowers blood pressure, and is a form of quick relaxation. You could watch comedies, or listen to comedy audio recordings on CD, while you are driving on your way to, or from, work.

If you want to avoid negative thoughts, you may want to reduce the time you spend watching the news or reading depressing stories in the newspapers. This does not mean you should avoid learning new things, but be selective about the type of information you read, watch, or listen to.

Good stories do appear on the news, but how many depressing stories will you have to mentally process before you find one. The old saying, "Bad news sells," often applies. There are plenty of good magazines to read, radio stations to listen to, and television channels to watch, so be selective.

Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications