Remember when you were a kid and everything was hilarious?
Spend about 5 minutes with a child and in many cases (there are always exceptions), you’ll notice two things: 1. They never stop moving. 2. They laugh – a LOT.
Kids find the humor in everything.
In silly things...
...in stupid things...
...in things that aren’t even, er, funny?
I used to toss this up to immature brains that had not yet fully developed the ability to emotionally regulate.
But after 14 years as a trauma psychotherapist, I can tell you what I know for sure, and that is kids are among the most resilient, mentally healthy people I've encountered in this lifetime.
Some might say it's because kids have yet to deal with the sucky parts of life that we, as adults, tend to daily, such as work, bosses, bills, etc.
While that may be true, kids aren't immune to negative experiences simply because they lack adult responsibilities. In fact, in some ways they are more vulnerable to them.
I've provided therapy to children of all ages who have experienced unspeakable traumas in their young lives, usually at the hands of adults, no less.
From severe parental neglect, to abuse by family members, to witnessing violence or the tragic death of a loved one.
I've worked with children who have been exposed to the worst this life has to offer at ages 5, 6, 7 years old; and yet, their capacity to endure, to persist, to overcome, to keep their senses of humor alive, remains steadfast in a way that both humbles and marvels me.
Now, to be fair, there are a lot of reasons kids seem to evidence high resiliency. Brain plasticity comes to mind as being one reason, for example.
But if you think of laughter as a sort of skill, rather than a behavior, could it be children's ability to frequently laugh has something to do with their resilience?
Think about the last time you laughed at something you found really funny.
I’m not referring to a slight chuckle or those times where you think to yourself, “Ha, that was funny,” but no sound actually comes out of your mouth because it really wasn’t all that funny.
No, I’m talking about the last time you found something absolutely hysterically funny.
You spat out your drink, you dropped what you were holding, you let out a strong, loud, boisterous belly laugh that was seemingly out of the confines of your control.
Now as you picture that time in your mind, try to pinpoint what you were feeling in that moment.
Joy?
Happiness?
Elation?
Amusement?
It could have been many things, but I bet it wasn’t anger, or sadness, or frustration.
I bet it felt good, whatever it was.
In addition to feeling good in the moment, research tells us laughter has many other benefits.
I did a quick search on the google (nothing peer reviewed but it will suffice for the purposes of this blog) and found the following benefits of laughter:
Lowers stress
Eases anxiety
Boosts immune system functioning
Reduces conflict
Enhances teamwork
Shifts mindset
Strengthens bonding
Cultivates creativity
Seems like a lot of good stuff, but even all that aside, laughter simply makes life more enjoyable, doesn’t it?
Think back to those laughing children. They appear to be having fun, don't they?
With all this in mind, I challenge you to incorporate some form of laughter into your days.
Watch a funny youtube video, or funny scene from a movie.
Search for funny memes or stupid jokes.
Watch a 2 minute excerpt of a favorite comedian’s act.
Spend some time playing with your goofy pets.
Spend some time playing with your goofy kids!
Keep a funny screen saver on your phone, or funny photo on your office desk, reminding you to laugh.
There are even “laughter yoga” classes you can take!
Challenge yourself to find the humor in life, and then laugh at it loudly and often.
It feels good, and it's good for you.
Ok then.
-Out.
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