HUMOR: OUR BEST WEAPON
Not much is funny right now.
One of my close family members, who now only has one lung and one kidney from a childhood surgery, sees COVID as no laughing matter, as he should.
My longest tenured client (and friend) here at Kegerreis, whom I’m vacationed with, has suffered ¼ million dollar losses to his business this 2nd quarter. That ain’t funny, or fun.
Another one of our clients (A nursing home) just announced 7 deaths and 27 COVID cases. That’s tragic, not funny.
Millions have lost their jobs. Millions more are wondering if they will continue to have one.
Very difficult times, for sure…and it’s virtually impossible to not be reeling from the scope of this crisis, which is affecting almost everything and everybody we’ve ever known. “Normal” is no longer.
But tragedy and fear are a fact of life; it’s always been this way. And if we take a step back and really evaluate this recent experience from both a historical perspective, and a statistical one, the reality is, times aren’t so bad, and this too, shall pass.
So while we are here, what’s important is what we learn about who we are, what we stand for, and who we want to be.
Happiness is usually a choice….and our attitude is ALWAYS a choice.
Personal development is a passion of mine. And so, I’ve read dozens of books on how to become a better person. Virtually every single one has reminded me to see obstacles or challenges as opportunities….and realize that success in life is not defined by what happens to us, but how we respond to the events of our lives.
Joy is still available to us all. And to me, joy is most easily found in, and expressed through, laughter. It’s not as easy to laugh right now with today’s headlines, or when we see the furrowed brows of our loved ones, but a joyful attitude is always a choice we can make.
Give yourself permission to be joyful, playful, humorous. Because in spite of the challenges or the losses, it will still come down to a simple fact…now what?
Need some suggestions on how to bring more joy into your life right now?
Pull out family videos from the past. Nothing is funnier than watching one’s now cocky teenage son babble as a toddler.
Fire up the comedy channel on TV, or choose a comedic playlist on Pandora or Spotify.
Get a group chat going with your favorite cousins, sharing stories from the past.
Call an old friend, and reminisce about dumb escapades.
Play jokes on your kids, your besties, or your partner.
Practice smiling at beauty.
It’s all still available to you, should you choose it. In fact, it’s more readily available than ever, given this new normal that’s given us a big ol’ pause button to life.
Choose joy. Choose laughter. Choose living.
Written by Eric - May 14, 2020
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