Photo by Helena Lopes

Life can be tedious and cruel sometimes, but learning how to live with humor all the way might just be the best medicine to overcome these struggles.

There’s no doubt that laughter is one of the greatest universal aspects of being human. Whether it’s just light giggling or raucous and howling hysterics, humor can lift the spirits of anyone, ease their stress and bring people together as only a few things can. 

The secret to living life is humor all the way. Why do you think laughter is the best medicine?

The Reasons Why Laughter is Important

Firstly, humor relieves stress easily. During laughter, the brain releases these chemical compounds called endorphins, which help the body feel good, reduce pain and promote relaxation. This is why comedy is quite a popular genre in media. Just try it; after a hard day’s work, log in to Netflix and watch a stand-up special–your aches, worries, and stresses will vanish just like that.

Just laughing already helps lower people’s levels of cortisol, the hormone that is strongly associated with increased stress.

And laughter is not just a good way to maintain physical health. It’s also critical to sustaining one’s mental well-being. When people share a laugh with each other, there is a sense of connection that is established there and a feeling of belonging and shared identity–laughing together at jokes is a great way to build relationships because it involves shared understanding and experiences. 

Humor is a very effective way of sidestepping boundaries (provided, of course, both parties are laughing together and not at each other). That’s why people who are funny tend to have better reputations and are better remembered. The most vivid memories that most people have is about something where they’re almost rolling on the floor laughing, happy with just being alive. Life is simply exciting that way, don’t you think?

So, if you are getting flustered about meeting a new person, tell a joke! That’s certainly bound to get you a reaction from a new coworker, acquaintance, etc. Just don’t be crass with it.

Beyond the social benefits, the best medicine is also a very effective way of growing as a person. That’s why it’s important to learn how to live with humor, not just for what it can do to your health and relationships, but because it helps you elevate yourself from one step to another. 

When people are open to laughing at themselves, they learn how to be more flexible with things, both the aspects one considers important and trivial. Self-awareness is strongly tied to learning how to laugh at oneself and leads people to approach life a bit more positively. 

How to Live with Humor

Humor is essential. It’s important to find joy in everyday moments. Life is challenging enough as it is, and laughter really helps alleviate the burden that comes with it, whether literal or metaphorical. So learning how to live with humor is important. Here are some steps:

1. Be mindful of what’s around you. Chances are, if you are observant, you will see that the world is a much funnier place.
2. Celebrate the mundane. Life is sometimes described as a series of dull and tedious events until death, and that’s only true if you refuse to see the humor inherent in life.
3. Be with positive people. Laughter, as they say, is contagious, and being with people of the same mindset can be absolutely marvelous.
4. Expect the unexpected. This does not mean being a psychic, not anything as serious as that. It simply says that you find happiness in almost all surprises.
5. Laugh at yourself. Don’t be too serious with yourself. As the saying goes: “All work and no play make Jack a very dull boy.” So, learn to laugh at yourself and your mistakes. Keep humble, and remember to put things in perspective.