“The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.” Horace Walpole
We sometimes get too serious for our own good. Actually, when you sit down and think about it – and see through the initial façade – we really are quite funny as human beings.
Take fairy tales: There are people who believe in the fairy tale of living happily ever after – not a bad thing in itself. But we seem to have forgotten that in a fairy tale – and before the happily ever after part comes in – the good queen usually dies, and an evil witch dupes the good king. We only remember the happily ever after bit. So, when something ‘bad’ happens to us, we rebel, saying this can’t be happening, feeling the injustice of it all.
But if we’re smart, we would rejoice because the quicker we realise what’s going on and see it as a stepping stone to the happily ever after, the stronger we will persevere. Just as we’d read through the ‘scary’ part of the book, knowing that it all works out in the end, perhaps this would be a wise way to pursue our life. Please do not misunderstand, I am not making light of things that happen to us in life such as loss, grief etc. but they are part of the passage of time and we have a choice – to become broken through the event, or to realise it is part of the kaleidoscope in what we call the journey of life.
Some may think this a silly outlook. But we’ll see who ends up laughing. For if we can’t laugh at ourselves, our folly and idiosyncrasies, what hope do we have of taking everyone else’s foibles in our stride?
Laughter and comedy are great tools in the journey of life. Just in case you weren’t aware, here are a few quick health benefits:
- Humour is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze.
- When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy.
- It’s fun, free, and easy to use
- Humour lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.
- Laughter boosts the immune system, decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
- Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
- Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
- Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh.
Headhunter turned talent spotter, Deborah creates the connect between people of character and companies with principles. The Founder of AMANI™, she is an advocate for business being a force for good, vested in the impact business has in both economic and social terms across various strata of society.