Have you thought about humour as a state of mind?

“Healing always begins with a chuckle”, and there are moments in life when we can simply laugh, laugh at the situation and laugh at ourselves. Sometimes we can either laugh or cry.

Studies have shown that humour contributes to higher physical and psychological wellbeing, results in better self-esteem, self-competency, lower levels of anxiety and depressions and it is a powerful tool of dealing with daily stresses and adversities. Humour is also a major factor of successful social interactions and relationship building. There are numerous benefits that humour brings to our life, and it is for us to discover it.

“The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh” – Marjorie Pay Hinckley

We cannot avoid shocks and adversaries that life is bringing to us, and sometimes we may suffer daily injustices, hindrances, disappointments at work and in the personal life. To this can be added material difficulties, worry about the loved ones, sickness, old age, accidents, injuries. All these things can happen and we have to go through it. The question is how we respond to the situation.

I think the only thing that helps me keep optimistic and keep going despite life challenges is that I take most of the situations with humour and keep smiling and laughing no matter how difficult it might be. Laughing at the challenging situation may be the best way to deal with it, because it helps diffuse negative emotions, relieve stress and lower anxiety.

Yes, laughing is proven to be a powerful stress relief as it helps ease pain by producing natural painkillers in our body, enhancing intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulating the heart, lungs and muscles, and increasing the level of endorphins released by the brain. Laughter stimulates circulation and aid muscle relaxation that help reduce physical symptoms of stress. It is not easy to laugh and smile when we are in pain, but it is possible to laugh at the pain itself, laugh at the situation we have occurred to be at and take it as a joke of life. Yes, a joke of life.

Laughing helps us start looking at the situation more clearly and objectively, and, most important, we are getting less judgemental to ourselves and to the other people. The very fact that we can laugh at ourselves gives so much freedom to be yourself, accept and love yourself for who you are. 

“You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself” – Ethel Barrymore

Having a sense of humour is not only a propensity to tell jokes, but it is having a particular state of mind – open, flexible, dynamic and evolving. It is being able to laugh at yourself and at the situation and see an opportunities for a change, development and growth, rather than focusing on the obstacle or dwelling on the problem.

Having been living in Ireland for almost four years, I had a chance to get to know Irish people, the Irish culture and the Irish humour. The Irish sense of humour is something I cannot help being admired. The Irish are laughing at themselves, at their family and friends and they can make a joke out of a very serious and difficult situation. This is amusing.

In the interview to the Irish Examiner, a former senior member of the Irish Labour Party and the author Fergus Finlay was telling about his 71s birthday. 

“I can’t deny that I’m getting older. 71 for Pete’s sake! And, they tell me, crankier. Now, as you’re reading this (and I hope you are) I’ll be opening my favourite birthday present. It might surprise you to discover it’s only a birthday card. But it’s no ordinary card. My lady wife, among her many other gifts, is an accomplished cartoonist. Every year for the last 40 years she has done a cartoon of me for my birthday. I love opening them first thing in the morning and, over the years, I’ve treasured each and every one of them. They make me laugh out loud.

Some years ago, to celebrate one of our wedding anniversaries, our daughters prepared a little book of family photographs, capturing some of the big events over the years. Alongside the photographs they wrote funny verses. Under ‘Birthdays’ (always a big occasion in our house) one of the verses was as follows: 

Every year without fail Dad got a card 

Keeping straight-faced was frequently hard

And more than a couple of inches of lard 

You get the message. These cards are designed to amuse — but also to improve me. It’s one of the ways I’m lucky.” – ‘Fergus Finlay: Let’s give Ireland’s older generation the respect that they have earned’, The Irish Examiner, June 1, 2021

Humour is a powerful thing, it can help us raise above any difficulty, learn and grow from it. When we are looking at the situation with even a slight touch of humour, we are actually bringing ourselves a big chunk of luck and a bunch of hope. As where there is laughter, there is always hope and there is luck. We are opening ourselves to life – to new opportunities, new discoveries, new ideas and maybe even big life changes . Humour can help soften any tension in relationship bringing more warmth, peace and understanding. 

Humour is a unique state of mind and it is for us to explore and discover it.