Have you ever heard of the mind/muscle connection? Generally speaking, this is the process of focusing on, and visualizing, the muscle group you are working as you actually do. For example, if you are doing a set of bicep curls, you would focus on your biceps getting as good a workout as possible and, as best you can, visualizing the muscle working and growing.

The same way this mental connection helps build muscle, it also helps prevent injuries. This is because the visualization process is basically the same; intently focusing on your muscles as you work them will help ensure that you are sticking to proper form.

Most exercise-related injuries occur when attempts are made to lift unmanageable amounts of weight and/or when proper form is all but forgotten. Homing in on these areas of your body as they are being worked will reduce the likelihood that you'll abandon correct form and, consequently, lower your risk of injury at the same time.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Surely, you've heard that laughter is the best medicine for the ills that ail us. Heck, I'm sure you've read about the topic here more than a few times. Well, it really is no joke. Laughter is good for your health. And it has a powerful feel-good influence on your overall spirit too.

Not only can laughter reduce stress, improve memory, and boost heart heath, it can reap another very important benefit: Joy.

Got a pal who makes you giggle? A favorite TV sitcom that sends you rolling on the floor? A comedian so funny you can't stop laughing? If so, seek them out. And let the lightheartedness begin.

It's hard to feel down when your cheeks are sore from chuckling. And it's hard to pass up such inexpensive and available medicine. So make it your mission to laugh today. And bask in the glory of the joy it brings.

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Considering retirement? We all dream of the day we can kick our feet up and start having fun instead of being a slave to the timeclock. But new research suggests that many men and women make the decision to retire for the wrong reason: because they're depressed.

Of course I'm sure it's rarely a conscious influence, but experts say that 1 in 10 working adults will experience depression in any given year and that adults who have symptoms of depression are more likely to retire earlier. The study included 3,000 adults from Finland, where (in theory) depression should have a lesser effect than here in the States due to a better post-retirement "safety net" provided by the Finnish government. I guess it makes sense that unhappy people are less motivated to continue working, but it's sad that a negative state of mind can influence such a major decision in somebody's life.

So if so many people suffer from depression, if it's such a common occurrence, what are we doing wrong? What can be done to avoid it?

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