Do you remember the last time you laughed? Like, really really laughed? That laugh that starts in your belly and bursts forth in sincere mirth… when was the last time you shared a moment like that? Maybe it was just last night, or maybe it has been a few months. Either way, we all know, and can feel, how good laughter is for us.
“As soap is to the body, so laughter is to the soul.”
Jewish Proverb
During our recent webinar, Let the Light In: How Humor Transforms Work and Life with Jacqueline Fletcher Johnson, we asked participants what brought them joy or laughter in 2020. So many of their answers were not only delightful, but also insightful. Laughter finds each one of us through our own unique sense of humor, equally as unique as the actual laughs that bubble out.
Below are some of the examples that were shared for what brought laughter to our Global Leadership League community in 2020:
- Watch the birds; hum a tune; read comics; watch cat videos; aromatherapy
- Diving in the water.
- Horseback riding
- Feldenkrais practice
- Ask Alexa to tell you a joke; most of the time they are corny but then you can't help but laugh. Enjoy just the simple moments; watch funny baby videos; go out and watch the stars; sit in the sun for 20 minutes - get your allotment of Vitamin D
- Female comedian: Amy Wong
- TikTok!
- I have two cats...using the laser light and watching them chasing after it.
- Pound Fitness
- Make a point to watch comedians - late night talk show hosts.
- Andrew Cotter Instagram (sports commentator in Scotland who makes dog videos!)
- I like to watch videos of babies laughing. Their laugh is contagious!
- Dancing
- Nourishing - curling my hair, warm tea, mindless video games
- Dressing up my dog in weird clothes/hats
- Have a glass of wine.
- Lily Tomlin
- Make it a 'Chopped' night for dinner! Pick four odd ingredients and make a dish with them and limited pantry items.
- Taking pictures on Snapchat with my kiddo.
- Cat videos and photos
- John Mulaney comedian
- Bubble baths
- Walks alone with a great audio book.
- Funny stuff - TikTok (Jabria, are you smart? Handle:laronhinesofficial)
- Be willing to be silly and laugh at yourself!
- Ask my teenage kids to show me funny videos... they have a ton!
- Coffee with a friend I have not seen in a longtime.
- Kate McKennon <3
- Put some whisky in your cup of tea but don't tell people what it is.
- Watch Bridesmaids, 27 Dresses
- Massages
- Michelle Wolf - comedian. (WARNING - Not for everyone!)
- Bob Newhart; Stop It video
- Vegetarian night once or twice a week.
- Watching Carol Burnett and team make each other laugh!
- Look up! Cloud patterns and night sky stars are calming.
- Cardio-dance to pop/popular music.
- Mad lib books
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Put your favorite dance tunes on while washing the dishes.
- Listen to my husband mocking comedians, watching comedians, movies on YouTube, diving "bomb" mode.
- Baking cakes and cookies, especially decorated ones that let me be even more creative.
- John Mulaney’s videos and shows
- Hiking
- Singing
- WIRED Autocomplete Interviews
- Silly movies like Best In Show and A Mighty Wind.
- Reading mystery novels - with a cup of tea or a latte.
- Reading science fiction - with a cup of tea or a latte.
- I love sending funny gifs and memes, film clips, TikToks, etc. to my friends and family... that are kind of "inside joke" items that are uniquely between us.
- When we were kids, we played something where we had to guess a color and whoever was the leader chose the color. If you guessed it, the leader would splash you with a thimble of water. Works great for little kids, or you could use a spray bottle with older children/adults.
- Play tricks on my kids... small jokes to lighten the day.
- I've been living with cancer for over 20 years: Live Laugh Love is my motto; LIVE every day, every moment; as the saying goes "laughter IS the best medicine"; love life, love yourself and love others around you. Dance!
What of your own amusements would you add to this list? We’d love to know! You can reach out to us either through our website, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Additionally, to learn more about Jacqueline and her unique healing methods (including laughter therapy), please visit this page.
We hope you all hold on to your sense of humor in 2021 and never forget to laugh a little… or a lot!
The mission of the Global Leadership League is to ignite change across the global education field by empowering, connecting, and training leaders. We invite you to reach out to us here or learn more about becoming a member.
