By Samantha McKenzie

It’s perfectly okay to break out of a routine. Actually, it’s highly encouraged. Don’t get me wrong, routines have their rightful place. They help us stay organized. They ensure that all of our chores are completed. But most of all, they provide a safe haven and security blanket for the masses to snuggle up under.

But it’s time to break out and live a little..or a lot.

Let’s face it, we get consumed with work. Then we go home and finish the job off. After a little inventory, I realized it was time to live a little, love a lot more and take the time to laugh out loud.

Un-list your lifestyle and love more.

We have lists for everything. I keep a running grocery list, an errand list (a.k.a. to-do list) and a mental, what-I-want-in-a-guy list. I also keep a wish list and a rapidly dwindling what I won’t do list. We are so busy checking off items on these lists, we forget to just live.

So, I’ve pushed away from my desk, slid my work list to the side and phoned a friend. I invited my girlfriend out to lunch and we got a chance to catch up on each other’s lives and swap stories.

More time equals more laughter.

Designate some joy time and learn how to laugh the night away. Don’t underestimate this jewel. Laughter is a great stress reliever and there is some truth to it being “the best medicine.” I have the best time with my children when we take long road trips in the car. It’s open season on everyone. We spend time telling jokes (a trait I am still not very good at) and we fill the space up with the sounds of straight laughter.

Go ahead, partake in unscheduled bursts of laughter. It can get you through some of the worst times.

Live more freely.

Love more, openly.

And most of all, laugh out loud.