Nowadays even the smallest things make me laugh
It doesn’t even have to be a sophisticated humorous gig. I find myself hungry for almost everything that evokes the slightest smile on my face. It’s a pity that I forget a lot, because this prevents me from being the humorous one myself. :) But I can live with that, because I like sharing even more.
Maybe this is what actually attracts me to humor in this time of physical distancing: feeling the joy and contagion of being able to laugh together, to bring some lightness in our every day life, to forgot for a little while.
My interest is drawn to a column in the newspaper written by the Belgian columnist Dalilla Hermans and I feel a bit reassured. She is talking about a short circuit in her brains due to the situation we are living in now, like geared wheels that get stuck and she explains what helps her to deblock. Let me quote you a fragment:
“Whenever I want to have a good laugh I watch movies of babies, also mine, who are eating lemon for the first time. Giggles guaranteed, and the obstructions on the line are restored. It’s healthier than other means of forcing emotions, I think. Don’t you?”
So, there is absolutely nothing wrong with watching bloopers on You Tube or couching up in front of the television for another rerun of Friends? That's a relief.
Humor in these times? Seriously?
I want to learn more about the effect of humor and dive into an article in Harvard Business Review about a book that has just been published: “Humor Seriously: Why Humor is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life. “ The title really makes me curious. A secret weapon? What for? Sounds dangerously exciting.
The 2 authors come forward as ambassadors in bringing more laughter into the workplace. Yes, even in these times. Especially in these times. When we’re meeting online we want our meetings to be efficient, goal-oriented, well timed.
They describe: “Work is often a humorless endeavor. Whether we’re earnestly attempting to solve big problems or striving for profits, jokes and laughter often seem out of place. But levity can actually help us achieve those serious goals. And research shows that teams that laugh together are more engaged and creative.
So why does this work? Part of it is that shared laughter accelerates a feeling of closeness and trust. For example, when pairs of strangers were prompted to laugh together for five minutes before completing a self-disclosure exercise, their interactions were viewed as 30% more intimate than duos who conversed without laughing first. Even reminiscing about moments of shared laughter causes couples to report being 23% more satisfied in their relationships."
Should you by any chance still need a (late) Valentine-gift, feel free.
Is this actually for real?
Absolutely! Humor has a very strong and proven effect. When we laugh our brain produces more endorphins (that give us a boost of energy) and more oxytocin ( the love hormone). A strong hilarious laugh in difficult circumstances can even reduce the stress hormone cortisol with 39%.
So having a good laugh is good for our immune system. Research confirms that an intense laughter or positive thought for about 5 minutes provokes an increase of 53%. That means 53% more power of the blood to fight diseases.
In a hospital in Georgia a laughing-room has been installed for patients. No medical equipment, just a cozy video-corner where patients meet and watch comical series and movies together. The result is astonishing. A couple of hours in this room having a good laugh in the presence of other people not only increases the mental abilities of the patients and their persistence to heal, but it also generates purely physical effects. The most striking are a drop in blood pressure, decreased muscle tone and a better functioning of the airways, because of the increased absorption of oxygen.
Well anyway, this seems cheaper than medication.
Should we all attend laughing-therapy then?
Or learn how to be a stand-up comedian? Not at all. Everyone has got his or her own way of being funny. Though I must admit that some people make a lot of effort to keep it hidden…
The surprising thing about humor is that you can learn how to use it, just as you are learning a new skill. And you even don’t have to be afraid that your joke or a funny story will not appeal to your audience. Research proves that people appreciate almost any kind of levity, provided it is not hurtful or offending.
We are facing a difficult time now in this Covid-era, a period of uncertainty, loss and grief, frustrations for what we are no longer able to do. Is humor still appropriate? The authors of the book I mentioned are convinced of it: “We believe that the leaders weaving humor into this weird new world are the ones truly helping their employees to get through it. These managers are showing that a sense of humor — and humanity — are welcome at work, especially during difficult times.”
So take humor seriously
Allow yourself to be funny and make other people laugh.
Here are 5 tips you can start with:
- Write down at the end of every day something that made you smile
- Write down every day what you did to make someone else smile
- Share your funny story with others, spread the word, invite.
- Bring lightness into your conversations and if language is not your thing, make use of your non-verbal.
- Get in touch with people with a natural sense of humor, it works contagious.
And what about a laughing-room, a laughing-chair, a laughing-hour, a laughing-zoom?
Have fun!
