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Laughter might just be the most underestimated medicine we have. In this playful and practical piece, we explore how comedy—intentional, lighthearted, and human—can break tension, dissolve pettiness, and instantly lift energy in even the heaviest of environments. Whether you’re navigating tough work dynamics, emotional strain, or just the weariness of routine, this tool reminds us that seeing the funny side isn’t just a survival strategy—it’s a way to lead, connect, and heal.
This is one of my favorite tricks and tools of all time.
Today’s Challenge:
See how many chuckles or smiles you can trigger.
Wherever you go today—work, errands, conversations—make a conscious decision to bring a little levity. Smile more. Drop a lighthearted comment. Laugh at your inner drama. Choose to rise above the pettiness and lift others as you go. Just for today, let comedy be your medicine—and watch how the energy around you transforms.
Reach out and Talk.
Please Reach Out if You’d Enjoy Talking About Your Daily Experience.
I’ve played with these tools myself — I only write about things that have made a real difference to my own daily experience, perspective, and state of being. Everything I share comes from inner growth and lived insight, not textbook techniques. I’d love to hear about your daily life — what you’re navigating, what you struggle with, and what you hope to shift or grow. I’d be honored to walk alongside you on your path.
“Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand.”
– Mark Twain
Humor is Intelligence Having Fun.
-Albert Einstein
The Best Antidote to Pettiness
It’s simple, powerful, and completely free. You don’t have to be a stand-up comedian. You don’t have to have a library of jokes in your head. You just need to see the funny side of things. That’s it.
In fact, I’ve made this a conscious effort in my work and daily life. Some days, before I walk into a hospital shift, I say to myself, “Today, I’m just going to make people laugh.” It’s not about being the clown—it’s about rising above the grind. It’s a subtle form of leadership. A way of showing: “Hey, we’re bigger than this. We’re going to be okay.”
Comedy Breaks the Spell
Have you ever noticed in movies, right in the middle of an intense scene, the hero cracks a joke? Why? Because it shows power. It shows they’re not overwhelmed. That they can still breathe. That they’re grounded enough to play, they are bigger that the stress. It tells everyone: We’re not drowning. We’re surfing this thing.
It shows people that you don’t identify closely with what is happening around you, you see things from a different angle, you are not defined by the drama, your expansive, larger, smarter, wiser.
That’s what comedy does. It lifts the room. It breaks pettiness. It dissolves ego.
And it’s contagious. It effects the culture around you, people start to join in.
When you crack a little joke, others start smiling. The mood lightens. Suddenly, the tension that was gripping the air five minutes ago just… lets go.
Pettiness Hates Laughter
Pettiness thrives on control, comparison, insecurity. You know what shuts that down instantly? Humor.
It’s like spraying weed killer on a toxic garden of complaints and finger-pointing. Comedy doesn’t preach. It doesn’t correct. It interrupts the spiral. It invites people to see the bigger picture without making them feel small.
It works in families. It works at work. It works in relationships. It even works in your own mind when your thoughts start turning in on themselves.
You Don’t Have to Be Funny—You Just Have to Find It Funny
This is the best part. You don’t have to be witty or clever or sharp. You just need to see the funny side of life. And when you do, people around you start doing it too. It’s like a ripple.
I can’t tell you how many coworkers have said, “We just love working with you. You make the shift fly by.” And guess what? They don’t say it because I’m a great nurse or I got the IV perfect. They say it because I made them feel good. I helped lighten the day. That’s what they remember.
A Tool for Real Life
If you’re walking into a tense meeting—carry a joke in your pocket. If your family’s bickering—drop a light comment. If your brain’s spiraling—laugh at it. Literally say, “Okay, brain, I see you creating your own Netflix drama again.”
Make comedy part of your daily strategy.
Not forced. Not fake. Just… light.
So today, I dare you—make a conscious choice to laugh more. Choose to find the funny side. Let your mind ride the wave instead of sinking under it.
Trust me, this tool works. And once you start using it, you won’t want to stop.
“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
– Charlie Chaplin
TEACHINGS & RESOURCES
Ancient and Contemporary Teachings:
Below is a list of ideas from various ancient and modern teachings that support the ideas above.
Science
Laughter releases endorphins, lowers stress hormones (like cortisol), boosts immunity, and increases blood flow—offering physical benefits similar to light exercise. It activates multiple areas of the brain, including those tied to social bonding, language, and memory, showing it’s a deeply embodied and neurological experience.
Sociology
Sociologists highlight humor as a form of social glue—a way communities establish shared meaning, dismantle hierarchies, and signal safety. In group settings, shared laughter increases cooperation, trust, and resilience in the face of tension. Humor often emerges as a collective release valve during societal stress or upheaval.
Psychology
Psychologically, humor is a coping mechanism. Freud called it a healthy “sublimation” of anxiety, while Viktor Frankl saw humor as a spiritual resistance to suffering. It helps reframe reality, shifts perspective, and allows people to gain emotional distance from stress or trauma.
Quantum Physics
While not directly linked to comedy, quantum thinking reminds us that perception shifts reality. Humor is a spontaneous shift in perspective—a “collapse of expectation” that creates a moment of altered awareness. Laughter is, in this way, a form of energetic release—a ripple in the field that alters frequency.
Modern Day Living Examples
In hospital wards, hospice care, classrooms, and crisis zones, intentional humor is used to ease fear, foster connection, and humanize pain. Patch Adams, for example, brought clowning and laughter into medicine. Teachers and leaders who use humor are more effective, respected, and trusted.
Contemporary Teachers
Contemporary Teachers
Ram Dass often laughed at his own ego, showing that humor disarms the false self.
Eckhart Tolle reminds us that laughter is spaciousness, a moment when the thinking mind pauses and presence enters.
Brené Brown talks about play and laughter as vital for adult emotional well-being and connection.
Robin Williams taught through performance that the deepest pain can often birth the greatest levity.
Ancient Philosophy
The Stoics, especially Epictetus, believed that humor comes when you see things as they are, not as you wish them to be—revealing detachment and wisdom.
Plato and Aristotle explored comedy as catharsis—an essential part of human expression, allowing the psyche to find balance.
Ancient and Modern Spiritual Teachings
Sufi mystics used humor and absurdity (like Mulla Nasreddin stories) to teach spiritual truths and break rigid mental patterns.
Zen Koans often produce a smile or laugh when one experiences insight.
Hindu and Buddhist deities, such as Krishna, are depicted as playful, showing that divine energy includes joy and lightness.
Indigenous Wisdom
In many Indigenous cultures, the Trickster archetype—such as Coyote or Raven—is both teacher and jester, using humor to reveal truth, humble pride, and guide transformation.
Laughter around the fire is seen as healing. It connects the tribe, releases tension, and calls back the spirit.
“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most — to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills.”
– Audrey Hepburn
I’d Love to Hear From You
If anything in this article spoke to you, or sparked a thought, I’d love to hear about it. Whether you want to explore these ideas more deeply or simply share what’s going on in your life right now, you’re warmly invited to reach out. You don’t need to have it all figured out — I’m here to listen, reflect, and walk beside you in whatever part of the journey you’re in..
Below is a List of Resources – Read, Watch, Listen and Be Inspired!
Books
“Anatomy of an Illness” – Norman Cousins A pioneering work showing how laughter (through Marx Brothers films) helped him recover from a painful illness.
“Born Standing Up” – Steve Martin A reflective memoir on the craft and personal discipline of comedy — highlighting the spiritual and psychological insights behind the laugh.
“The Healing Power of Humor” – Allen Klein Explores how humor helps people cope with serious illness, loss, and trauma.
“Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers” – Robert Sapolsky A science-based look at stress and the body, with entertaining insights and moments of humor scattered throughout.
“Laughter: A Scientific Investigation” – Robert R. Provine A neurobiological and social study of why we laugh and how it affects our health and relationships.
You Tube Videos
Patch Adams on the Power of Laughter in Medicine A moving talk about humor in hospitals and the sacred role of the clown healer. Patch Adams – TEDx Charlottesville
Robin Williams’ Improvised Genius (Clip Compilation) Watch how energy, timing, and rapid cognitive shifts fuel collective laughter.
“The Science of Laughter” – AsapSCIENCE Short video breaking down the biology, psychology, and social role of laughter. Watch here
Eckhart Tolle Laugh Compilation A lighthearted but powerful reminder of how presence and humor coexist naturally.
TED Talks
“The Power of Laughter” – Arianna Huffington Discusses humor as a path to resilience and well-being.
“Laughing Matters” – Craig Ferguson Explores the deep human need for humor in pain, politics, and personal transformation.
“The Hidden Power of Laughter” – Sophie Scott A neuroscientist’s view of how laughter literally synchronizes the brain and body. Watch here
“Laughter is Medicine” – Anthony McCarten Touching TEDx talk on how humor helped heal his grief after loss.
Experts
Patch Adams – Physician, clown, and social activist: laughter as medicine and human dignity.
Sophie Scott – Neuroscientist studying laughter and communication.
Robert Sapolsky – Biologist and stress expert who shares the healing nature of levity.
Brené Brown – Empathy and vulnerability researcher who affirms the role of play and joy in human resilience.
Ram Dass – Spiritual teacher who often used humor to reveal ego traps and open the heart.
Research
Laughter Improves Immune Function [Bennett et al., 2003, “Humor and Laughter May Influence Health”] Laughter increases natural killer cell activity and reduces inflammation.
Laughter Lowers Stress Hormones [Berk et al., 1989–2001, Loma Linda University] Repeated studies show reduced cortisol and adrenaline levels post-laughter.
Social Bonding through Shared Laughter [Dunbar et al., 2012] Laughing with others increases endorphins and strengthens relational trust.
Humor as Cognitive Reframing [Martin RA, 2007, “The Psychology of Humor”] Humor helps reframe adversity, promoting flexibility and psychological resilience.
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