Laughing at Ourselves is Powerful Medicine

“To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity”.  --William Arthur Ward

In this fast-paced, technology-driven, politically correct culture we now live in, it is easy to lose sight of the humor that makes life so much more enjoyable. If we take a little time to notice, we'll see that there are so many great opportunities to just bust out laughing. Funny things are happening all around us ranging from the subtly clever to the absolute outrageous. We should never lack opportunity for a good laugh because there is one constant in our daily lives that can provide endless comic possibilities. That constant is, us. Wherever you go, there you are, and wherever you are is an endless list of scenarios in which to find humor. The best place to find that humor is within ourselves. In short, we need to learn to laugh at ourselves and we need to do it often. 

While all of us have the desire to be taken seriously and be held in high regard in the eyes of our peers and others, we can't be so serious that we squeeze the fun out of our interactions and conversations. It has been said that everyone has the ability to light up a room -- some when they enter and others when they leave. Which person do you gravitate toward? Which person do you want to be? Which one are you?

But, is it really necessary and is there proven value? According to a small study highlighted in Time the answer is yes. The results of the study suggest that those of us who can genuinely laugh at ourselves tend to be more optimistic in mood and action with underlying health benefits, as well. Here's a snippet:

"Although studying people’s sense of humor may seem like a trivial pursuit, it has important implications for health. Laughter, smiling and optimism are linked to better overall health. And “getting” certain types of jokes requires important social skills that can be impaired in conditions like autism and schizophrenia. Understanding the mechanics of humor may shed light on what goes wrong in those cases."

Isn't it time to lighten up a bit and stop taking everything, including ourselves, so seriously? Take a moment to look at your own life and find a great opportunity to laugh at yourself and in the process help others find reason to laugh with you. Laughter is power medicine. Dispense plenty of it wherever you go.

Your comments are always welcome!