12 Ways to Improve Your Life with Laughter

Fun is a need. Laughter is healthy. It's good for your physical body, mental health, and relationships. Loving yourself and others involves more than commitment or kinship. It involves self-care, and a strong self-care practice is laughter. 

Now let me give one disclaimer. Different people have different personalities. Some people are more serious, while others are more comical. This is not a criticism of the serious-minded, but even the most serious will benefit from fun. It builds relationships, eases stress, and is an excellent balance to the struggles of life. Fun is defined differently depending on personality and upbringing. Yet, fun in whatever form is always a need. 

So if you're ready to give fun and laughter the priority they deserve, here are a few ideas that can help.

Don't try too hard

There is an old episode of the 90's TV show Full House where the whole family goes on vacation. The dad, Danny Taylor, planned a minute-by-minute agenda and kept it written out on his "clipboard of fun." It's a comedic illustration of how to ruin the fun. The best thing you can do to enjoy your time is relax. Remember that laughter is a natural human ability. Children are a good example. Laugher comes naturally to them. Somewhere along the line, some have neglected the skill. Relaxing is the best way to recapture the ability. Do whatever you like but don't make it too complicated. Relax and enjoy the ride.

Make it personal

People are different. Different couples, families, and friends enjoy different things. Make your fun activities right for you. Having rituals and routines is part of the fun of being in relationships. It becomes your habit, and it begins to build bonds every time you enjoy that activity. It might be family game night, time in nature, or movie night. The activity isn't important as long as it is your form of fun. Then, as you enjoy those activities, laughter will come naturally. 

Make fun a priority

If you wait till you have time, you will never do it. There is a line to walk here. Overplanning the details of the activity can be stifling. Yet, there needs to be a plan for fun in your schedule. Put it on your calendar if you must. When people ask for that time, tell them you already have an appointment. Schedule it as you would any other priority. Don't give fun the leftovers on your calendar. Schedule them and make those fun activities a focus. 

Be careful with multitasking

Some families might find cleaning the kitchen to be fun. If that is a joy in your family, then enjoy. Many families do not. Attempting to turn cleaning the kitchen into a fun family game might work. Yet, it will likely feel like a lame attempt to trick people into cleaning. Some couples might have a fun date night running errands and buying groceries. For many, that won't work. Fun needs to be an activity in itself, with the only goal of enjoying the time.

When in need, fake it

There are two ways to laugh. There is spontaneous laughter that comes from something humorous. The other is to laugh by choice. The amazing reality is that the human brain doesn't draw a strong distinction. Practice laughter like any other skill. Humorous events are helpful but not necessary. Smiling and laughing affect a person's mood, even if the action is voluntary. So, try it. If it feels weird, then practice when you are alone. Take some time, smile, laugh, and enjoy the results.

Seek out funny people

If you come from a serious family and work in a cerebral job, it's likely you are not exposed to a lot of humor. It's easy to take on the characteristics of our environment. There is nothing wrong with a serious family and a cerebral job. Yet, it may be time to seek out some additional influences. Seeking out naturally funny people can be a great new hobby. Spend some time with them and let their influence impact your way of seeing the world. It doesn't even have to be in person. Direct human interaction is a good thing, but social media makes things easier than ever. By following funny people on social media, humor is only a click away. 

Children and pets are great teachers

Seeking funny people can take a little time and effort in the circles of our adult world. Children and pets are different. They know how to enjoy the world in a way many adults have forgotten, and many humans have abandoned. Children and pets make fun a priority and are very willing to take the rest of us along for the ride. 

Limit negativity as much as possible

It may be impossible to eliminate all negative influences. This is especially true if they are relatives. Yet, it may be possible to limit the negativity. When you know you are going to be exposed to negativity on a regular basis, there are two strategies. One is to limit those interactions as much as possible. The other is to intentionally offset that time of negativity with some time of humor and fun. Negativity is a reality of life, but a strategy of offsetting humor can be the antidote. 

Check your TV and movie habits

Life is often a series of habits. When we finish a long work day, we may sit down and turn the TV onto the same channel every evening. It may be news, sports, or drama. All these can be good choices, but there are alternatives. There are lots of comedies available with variety enough for any taste. Break the habit of going to your go-to channels and movies and add some comedies. 

Experiment

If you are not accustomed to living a life of humor, you may not know what you find funny. There are lots of different tastes running from goofy to sophisticated. It may take some time to find out what you enjoy most. Like every other new skill you may seek, it will take some time and practice. The good news is everyone can learn. Don't be afraid to experiment. Part of the fun is in the learning. 

Laugh at yourself

If you learn to laugh at yourself, you will never run out of material. We all have experiences. We do dumb things. We have misunderstandings. It is all part of the human experience. If we can learn to laugh at our own bumbling, we can enjoy a continual flow of humor. Enjoy the fullness of who you are. You don't have to be perfect all the time. Some of the greatest joys are in imperfections. 

Learn to reminisce

Everyone has a story. Even tough times can become humous with time. Look at your history. Find the humorous time, the funny stories, and the lessons learned that can now bring a laugh. Tell those stories. Let others laugh with you. Allow your own story to become one of the joys in your life, and reflect on it often.

Life is hard, and there will be plenty of serious times. In the nature of life, those things will not be hard to find. Humor may not be a constant focus, but it is a healthy and crucial element of life. Put these practices into place. Practice them often, and see how life can be a little brighter, a little better, and a lot more fun.