“In life, you can choose to cry about the bullshit that happens to you, or you can choose to laugh about it. I chose laughter.” - Kevin Hart
A few years ago I came to the realization that what I’m incredibly passionate about, besides helping others, is laughing. And humor in general. That might sound stupid to you (now—just wait), but humor is everything to me. Laughter equals happiness in my mind. And it’s how I’ve gotten through some of the most gut-wrenching, painful times in my life. I want to die laughing... That’s not a joke either.
Because my ultimate goal in life is just to be happy, the amount I laugh on a daily basis has come to be my measure of success.
Why You Should Make Humor A Priority in Your Life
Laughter is proven to have health benefits. It relaxes physical tension and stress hormones, boosts the immune system, improves the function of blood vessels, and increases blood flow. It can even relieve pain by causing the body to release natural pain killers. (WTF)
In regards to mental health, laughter releases endorphins and serotonin, and improves your overall mood.
I’ve personally found that laughter can break intense anxiety or anger spirals. Ever been in a fight with a S/O but then they make you laugh and you’re not as mad anymore, when only moments ago your head was about to pop off? Yeah, that’s the power of humor.
Not only that, people are more ATTRACTED to you when you’re laughing a lot. Once you’ve gotten rid of that RBF, you’re naturally seen as more inviting and not so much of a threat by others.
Laughter also promotes group bonding and strengthens relationships. Have you ever had a group of people laugh at one of your jokes? How good does that feel? Keep in mind that it makes others feel great about themselves when you’re laughing at their jokes as well.
So, how can you get more laughter into your day?
How to Level up Your Humor Game
I learned from Tony Robbins that everything is a skill, and this knowledge changed my life. You know what that means? Humor can be learned. Your humor can be leveled up.
I used to think people were just born funny. Like Kevin Hart innately knew how to walk onto a stage and get thousands of people to laugh at jokes without working on his humor at all. Like when we were all hitting puberty, one day Kevin woke up and, along with the awkward mustache hairs, *poof*—he was instantly a comedian.
But that’s not the reality. Sure, he might have had more of a penchant for humor than others, but comedy, like most other skills in life, is something you have to work on.
Here are some ways you can level up your humor and bring more laughter into your life:
Surround yourself with people who make you laugh, and who look at a stressful situation and find the humor in it rather than the negatives.
Humor is one of the first things I look for in friends or partners. If I find another human that loves pranks, mischief, or silliness, I make sure to keep them close. If you’re surrounded by funny people, odds are you’re going to become funnier. As Jim Rohn said, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
At my last job, I met a girl whom I realized early on had a knack for pranks and silliness, and for a full month, we hid my lifesize cardboard cutout of Zac Efron in various places around the office. She’s a keeper.
Our CEO found Zac waiting for her upon her return from London
You can actually prime yourself and your day for more laughter.
Ellen Degeneres throws a mint into the air and tries to catch it in her mouth at the beginning of her shows to get herself into a silly mood. If you don’t want to do the mint trick, maybe watch a short, funny video in the AM. I sometimes do a meditation-type practice where I sit and imagine myself laughing with friends or think of a funny time when I was cracking up to no end until I’m truly smiling. Try out different things and see what works best for you!
Fake it till you make it.
Have you ever heard someone tell you to fake it until you make it? If you smile or laugh, EVEN if you’re faking it, you send a signal to your brain that you’re happy, and that actually makes you happier. You’ll also be more likely to laugh and get others laughing along with you. I mentioned in my last post that you should fake laugh in the mirror until you’re really laughing. Remember that? This is why.
This was above HR
Study humor.
Google some different joke formulas and understand why and how they work. You can find anything online, but I took an in-person improv 101 class through UCB (loved it) to learn more about different types of humor. One of the first rules we learned in Improv was that of “Yes, and.” Essentially, whatever premise your partner on stage makes up, you go along with it and add on.
Have you ever riffed off a friend’s stupid joke and kept it going? You’re Yes Anding them without knowing it. Others will actually like you more if you add on to their jokes, however silly they may be. Sometimes this can run counter to our yearning to be in the spotlight, but it’ll strengthen your bonds with the people you’re with.
Let me know if you try any of the above and how they work for you. And remember, if you can’t laugh about your life, what’s the point?
Diana
Diana! You made me laugh so early in the morning!! I love Zac the cutout! Smith
Love love love this post!! Being a nurse during this time has been horrific but the nursing memes and inside jokes with coworkers have been so important and helpful for our mental health! Cheers to laughter 😘