Have you ever laughed so hard it made you cry? Or you made uncontrollable snorting sounds? Or your abs started to hurt? Or you couldn’t catch your breath? Or you either spit the beverage you were drinking out of your mouth or it somehow came out of your nose? Yes? Great! Then you are crushing it, because laughing is an important part of a successful life.
We have all heard the saying that laughter is the best medicine. We hear it so much that we really don’t pay it the attention it deserves. While it may not be the single cure for all that can ail a body, it certainly is part of the medical regime. If you really look at the people who surround you, those who find reasons to laugh a lot tend to be the healthiest and the most resilient. Laughing doesn’t mean everything is okay. Laughing doesn’t mean life is perfect. Laughing doesn’t mean that you aren’t dealing with real struggles. Laughing means that no matter what is going on around you, you have the ability to find humor and joy within in you.
Laughter is the universal language that everyone can understand and everyone is connected to. For example, if you are on the T and you hear conversations happening all around you, you barely notice. But, if you hear someone start hysterically laughing, chances are you are going to turn your head to find the laughter, because there is something in us that wants to be a part of that happiness. And, as you turn your head, there is a very good chance you are smiling yourself. This is because we are innately drawn towards laughter.
Laughter is contagious. We don’t even have to know why some is laughing to start laughing along with them. This happens to me multiple times a day. Jesse Correia, Assistant to the Deans, is one of the funniest people I know in life. He is always saying something that makes our student office assistants, Dean Fowler, Dean Kosses, or anyone visiting bust out in belly laughs. If I am back in my office, the moment I hear their laughter, I start laughing and have to get up from my desk to walk to the main office to find out why everyone is laughing. Even I don’t find the actual reason to be that funny (which is rare, because we are a funny group), I still laugh at the laughter.
Laughter is incredibly therapeutic. After a good laugh, you just feel more relaxed, centered, and optimistic. The stressors are still there, but you feel a bit less stressed. The problems are still there, but they seem a little less problematic. Laughter seems to clear your head of all the noise that can get in the way to progress and happiness.
And finally, laughter is free. If you really look at the world, you can find laughter anywhere and at anytime. Whether a simple smile, a soft giggle, a private chuckle, a hardy guffaw, the act of laughing is one of the greatest and healthiest gifts you can give yourself. When people look back on their lives, they aren’t wishing they had worked more, earned more, or had more. They will, however, likely wish they had laughed more. You can avoid this by starting today. Right now, as a matter of fact…