Humor – An Easy Way to Lighten Up

Life is a roller coaster, and we can white-knuckle our way through it or learn how not to sweat the small stuff. There is enough BIG stuff…loss and grief, financial hardship, aging…that we have to deal with. The golden ticket to happiness is when we become aware that we have a choice to let small issues remain small. If a friend is running late and you feel yourself fuming, you can choose to breathe and give the friend grace. If you share your frustration and they are still chronically late, you can choose another friend.

We can only change ourselves, and the sooner we let go of wanting other people to change their behavior, the lighter we’ll be. When we feel ourselves wanting others to change or we feel ourselves getting reactive, humor is the perfect medicine to reduce stress, elevate mood, and improve overall mental health by triggering the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.

Engaging in laughter enables us to experience a more lighthearted perspective on life’s challenges, offering a refreshing escape from everyday stressors. The simple act of laughing can interrupt the cycle of stress and cultivate a positive mental environment.

Also, the ability to not take ourselves too seriously is a profound form of self-kindness that nurtures mental health. Embracing imperfections and acknowledging that mistakes and setbacks are a natural part of life can be enormously liberating. This mindset encourages resilience, lowering the pressure we place on ourselves and reducing feelings of anxiety and self-criticism. By adopting a playful attitude and learning to laugh at oneself, individuals can foster a healthier self-image and build stronger interpersonal connections.

Create playful moments, watch funny movies, hang out with people who love to laugh…and most of all, let’s not take ourselves so seriously…When we look for levity, chances are we’ll find it?

The easiest way to reach me is artbyelayne@gmail.com.

1 Practice to Tune into the Body

I know the movie Airplane is known for its one-liners, which will elicit belly laughter…watch a movie that will make tears roll down your face from laughing so much.

2 Shifts to Observe the Mind…with curiosity and an open heart

Before you get out of bed in the morning, set the intention to find humor during the day.

Observe when you are serious and it’s stressing you out…can you shift your perspective and find humor in the situation?

3 Quotes and a Question to Awaken the Soul 

“It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“A person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused.” – Shirley MacClain

“The person who can bring the spirit of laughter into a room is indeed blessed.” – Bennett Cerf

And drumroll…the Question

Who makes you belly laugh? That is a relationship to appreciate.

Big love to all of you. Thanks so much for visiting, e’Layne

To buy my #1 Amazon Bestselling book, click on the picture of my book below. It has lots of exercises to quiet the minds of the loud-mouth naysayers. If you’ve purchased my book and haven’t left a review, I would really appreciate it if you would…Amazon puts books in front of more people based on reviews, e’ xooxo