Let’s Talk About Laughter

Let's talk about laughter. How does it fit with compassion? I consider that laughter relates to self-compassion. It can certainly relax the body, it triggers the release of endorphin chemicals that relieve stress, boasts the immune system, and while it may take a lot of active laughing, it could help us burn off a few calories. Norman Cousins, in his book, Anatomy of An Illness, showed how high doses of vitamin C, laughter from watching Marx Brothers movies and viewing endless episodes of Candid Camera, helped relieve his pain and reverse a life-threatening illness. Research informs us that humor is subjective to culture, shared history, and geography. So, whether your ulnar nerve (funny bone) is struck by the Marx Brothers, Monty Python, India's Zakir Khan, or Tasmanian born, Hannah Gadsby, just remember that laughter is a gift that keeps on giving.

Let's experience some serious self-compassion through laughter. A first-grade teacher presented each child in her classroom with half of a well-known proverb and asked them to complete it. Read them out loud to increase the enjoyment. The first graders responses are in bold font.

Don't bite the hand that looks dirty.

Never underestimate the power of termites.

You can lead a horse to water but how?

No news is impossible.

A miss is as good as a Mr.

You can't teach an old dog new math.

Love all, trust me.

The pen is mightier than the pigs.

An idle mind is the best way to relax.

Where there's smoke there's pollution.

A penny saved is not much.

Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you have to blow your nose.

Children should be seen and not spanked or grounded.

If at first, you don't succeed get new batteries.

When the blind lead the blind get out of the way.

A bird in the hand is going to poop on you.

Learn more about laughter by visiting one of our partners.
Laughter Lawyers and reading the article, "Mindfulness in Everyday Life: Compassion and the Art of Having Fun."

This message from Marilyn Turkovich, Executive Director of the Charter for Compassion, appears in our 08/15/2021 weekly newsletter. To sign up for our newsletter, scroll all the way down to the end of this page to get to the bottom menu, in the newsletter section enter your email address and click on subscribe.