Live Longer. Laugh More.
Laughter is a Natural Antidote to Anxiety
The Get On Track No Screen Play Day is built on a simple but powerful idea: real human connection is the foundation of healthy, resilient lives.
Our program features 8 easily duplicated stations, each designed to strengthen social bonds between participants and trainers. But everything begins with the most important station of all:
Station 1: GREETINGS
This is where transformation starts.
A proper greeting isn’t complicated—but it is powerful:
A face-to-face smile
A firm handshake or simple shoulder tap
Saying your first and last name out loud
And then… something unexpected:
“Joke of the Day keeps the doctor away!”
It may sound simple—even silly. But here’s the truth:
Laughter breaks barriers.
Smiles build trust.
Connection reduces anxiety.
You don’t have to be funny. You just have to be willing.
Laugh anyway. Smile anyway.
Because both are contagious—and healing.
Make Laughter a Daily Practice
Most of us weren’t born comedians—and that’s perfectly fine.
What matters is intention.
Challenge yourself to make laughter a go-to tool:
Keep a short list of jokes or riddles
Practice them anytime, anywhere
Use them to shift energy—in yourself and others
Over time, you’ll build something powerful:
a natural defense against stress, anxiety, and negativity.
Need a Few Starters?
Here are a few to get you going:
1. How do you catch a squirrel?
Act like a nut.
2. What did the walking horse say to the quarter horse?
“I may be slow, but at least I’ve got all my parts!”
3. Did you hear about the ice that lost its job?
It was crushed.
Did You Feel That Shift?
Pause for a moment.
Did your mood change—even slightly—while reading those?
Now imagine that effect in a group setting:
Shared laughter
Eye contact
Real interaction
This is how connection is built.
Why It Matters
Anxiety often grows from repetitive negative thoughts.
Laughter interrupts that cycle.
It creates:
Immediate emotional relief
A sense of belonging
Positive, shared experiences
And best of all…
It requires zero screens.
The Takeaway
The more we practice humor and laughter, the stronger our resistance becomes to the negative effects of excessive screen time.
So today, start small:
Smile first
Say hello
Share a joke
Because sometimes the simplest actions
create the strongest connections.
What’s your favorite joke?
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Join the Screen-Free Movement www.getontrackillinois.org
If you believe our children deserve more real experiences and fewer digital distractions, we invite you to support the mission of Get On Track NFP.
Together we can help youth and families build healthier relationships with technology and rediscover the joy of living fully offline.
