When You Forget How to Have Fun, It’s Not a Laughing Matter

December 3, 2024

When You Forget How to Have Fun, It’s Not a Laughing Matter

Last week, I had a funny thing happen to me when I met a good friend for tea. It had been a while since we had connected in person, or shared the intricate details of our lives, but we had a wonderful time catching up. During our conversation, one thing she shared caught me off guard.

My friend revealed that a strange thing had happened to her after she had retired. One evening, she was watching a silly sitcom on TV when she heard herself laughing. It may not sound odd, but the strange thing about this day was that she actually heard herself laughing. She asked me what I thought about that, and I had to start laughing myself.

Why?

The exact same thing happened to me just the past year. On a certain day, I heard myself laugh, and it stopped me in my tracks.

When I heard my own laughter, I thought, “This is weird.” I couldn’t even recall the last time I had laughed like that.

The realization that I had lost my laugh was sad. I had been so caught up in work and the business of life that I had forgotten to take the time to laugh. It was the same realization that my friend had as well.

My friend and I had worked together for many years in two different health organizations. We knew each other’s families and stories, and we commiserated on work and our high stress levels. Both she and I had spent way too many hours working, including in the evenings. It wasn’t surprising that we had similar experiences, yet the surprise was that this was a specific experience we shared. Being alerted to our own laughter.

When I stopped to think about it, I recalled that laugh, my real laugh, a deep, hearty belly laugh. This was not the polite smile at work or the half-laugh at the dinner table when the kids shared a funny story. It was a true laugh of joy. And it had been so long since I had heard it.

It was then that I made a vow. Life was way too short not to laugh, love, and live. My work, while important, was not worth giving up my joy and my laughter.

It was time to prioritize having more happiness, more smiles, and more laughter.

Can you remember the last time you honestly laughed? If you cannot remember the last time you had a bout of laughing, it’s time to check in with yourself. Take a moment to pause and reflect on what you are spending your time and energy on.

Ask yourself why you haven’t laughed.

We all have stressful times and things that make us feel sad or down, but that shouldn’t be the way we live every day. If you are not taking time to laugh or have joy, you are most likely not taking time for other healthy things as well, like getting enough good sleep, practicing self-care, being mindful, moving enough, or eating a healthy diet.

If you can relate to the story above, it’s time to take action, pause, and reset.

Take steps to let go of what does not make you happy, do something that brings you joy, or helps you find peace and calm.

Start small by watching a comedy movie, telling a joke, or giggling at a silly commercial. Dance around your house or apartment like no one is watching. Go ahead! Guess what? No one is watching — and if they are, they can join you.

Make up a riddle, smile at the Starbucks barista or supermarket cashier, or smile in a mirror. Smiles are contagious, and it’s really hard to feel down if you truly smile wide while staring at yourself. Our smile muscles contracting and the visual cues in the mirror tell our brains we are happy! It may take a few minutes, but give it a try.

It really works.