“Why Laughter Is the Break Your Soul Has Been Begging For”

Our son frequently tells me and his dad “You are doing too much!” Well, the world feels like it’s doing the absolute most right now. Every headline is dramatic, every bill is higher, and every time you open your phone, someone is arguing about something. It’s no wonder everyone feels overwhelmed.

But here’s the thing: laughter is not a luxury. It’s a survival tool.

Humor has this magical ability to break tension, soften fear, and remind us that life isn’t just about enduring, it’s about enjoying. We are in the season of March Madness. My godson’s college team made it to the Final 4 and he traveled quite a bit of distance to attend the game. He works very hard and I was pleased that he apparently knows the importance of taking some time off to enjoy life and laugh with friends.

When you laugh, your body literally shifts. Stress hormones drop. Your mood lifts. Your perspective widens. Suddenly, the thing that felt like the end of the world becomes something you can handle. I love. Rip-roaring belly laugh! You know the ones that force you to hold together lest you have an accidenty?! Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. If you are over 50 with a 50 year old bladder you absolutely know what I am talking about!

Think about the last time you laughed so hard you couldn’t breathe. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the deadlines. Not the drama. Not the chaos. Just pure, unfiltered joy.

We need more moments like that. Particularly now.

Life will always have serious moments. But if we let seriousness take over, we lose the spark that keeps us human. Laughter is the reminder that even in the middle of uncertainty, there is still goodness. There is still light. There is still something to smile about.

And sometimes, the funniest moments come from the most unexpected places — a conversation gone wrong, a random mishap, or a moment that was supposed to be serious but turned into comedy. Those moments are gifts. They keep us grounded.

So today, give yourself permission to laugh. Watch something silly. Or be silly for other to watch! Call someone who always cracks you up. Laugh at your own mistakes. Laugh at the randomness of life. Laugh because joy is resistance. Joy is healing. Joy is necessary.

The world may be heavy, but your spirit doesn’t have to be.

Lou