We’re creating a new suite of programs on mindfulness, and in this 6 week program laughter gets its own week. This is because humor, laughter, and a lightness of spirit have a powerfully positive impact on your physical and psychological health. It turns out that “funny” is therapeutic.
Of course, as when I was growing up, there is the common phrase that something is either Funny-Ha-Ha, or Funny-Peculiar.
Funny Ha Ha
What’s so funny? Laughing is completely therapeutic.
Laugh out loud and your brain lowers its circulating stress hormones, while raising the levels of endorphins and other positive neurochemicals. For your psychological well-being, that combination of brain chemicals may be why it’s strongly associated with lower measures of anxiety and depression, and higher measures of mood and well-being.
What’s hilarious is that if you could put laughter in a pill, doctors would prescribe it by the billions given all those positive outcomes. Moreover, it’s infectious. When you are around laughter, it spills out into your body and mind. Then you give off this positive spirit, creating which gives others permission to be light and fun themselves.
This creates a positive feedback loop that leads right back to you!
Funny Peculiar
So much energy and effort and time and money is spent trying to get the outcomes brought about by simple laughter. That’s funny peculiar because it’s the solution hidden in plain sight, right there in that sitcom, punny meme, silly cat video, and interactions with the positive people in your life.
Mirth and humor are peculiar too because there are definitely different flavors of funny. Everyone has their own sense of humor, and the positive impact it has on your body and mind doesn’t care which kind of humor you happen to have. The great thing about this is that you can always find someone who gets your dry wit, or your penchant for puns that are total groaners, or the fact that you somehow know every. single. word. of all of the Monty Python movies. Verbatum.
The only caveat with laughter is that we do need to be careful to be aware of the context around us. Sarcasm, for example, can go sideways in a hurry if it comes off as mocking or insensitive. So remember the rule that we should laugh with, not at.
In The Workplace
Adding a lightness of spirit in the workplace can be equally powerful for the organization. It can help build a positive culture, bring employees together, and make it actually fun to come to work each day.
Of course humor in the workplace has to be done right, without creating a frivolous atmosphere or one that undermines productivity. But actually, I believe that creating an atmosphere permissive to fun and laughter and lightness of spirit create more productivity in the end.
In any case, psyched about the upcoming mindfulness content, and hope to make a big impact for the employees who desperately need a little lightness in their spirit right now.
