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Viktor Frankl, holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, called laughter “the currency of hope.” He wrote: “An outsider may be astonished to hear that one could find a sense of humor in a concentration camp…. Humor was another of the soul’s weapons in the fight for self-preservation…. It can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.”
Fellow inmates survived daily by inventing one amusing story to tell others. Laughter is one of the natural tranquilizers of life. It provides that inner upper, an emotional massage that ushers in a new perspective for our irritations and disappointments. Unfortunately, too many have forgotten the value of humor in making us more resilient in this age of change and uncertainty. Too many walk around looking like they’re in pain. You know the ones; instead of leaving their cars “in park,” they leave their faces “in park.”
Leave room for laughter every day. The safest target for your humor will always be yourself. Learn to laugh at your errors and the world will laugh with you—not at you! Only the self-confident can admit their mistakes; laughing at your own errors will help you let go of mistakes and bounce back.
Laughter is contagious, and so is cynicism. Which would you prefer to give to others? You know the answer—people love to be around people who bring them joy.
Stretch your humor muscles daily. Start by recognizing what makes you laugh and put more of it in your life. Keep copies of your favorite comedies and watch them when you need a lift. Keep a photo album of your favorite comics; keep one at the office and one at home. Try sharing humorous incidents instead of negative gossip when you talk to coworkers and staff. The more you look for humor, the more you’ll find. Always be ready to say, "That's funny!"
Take your work and life seriously but yourself and your problems a bit more lightly. Now, let there be laughter, and let it start with you.
Terry,I tried to respond about motivational Humor on your blog, but could find no entry portal. However I have this. Our son collected POGO comics. As he matured [?] he left them behind- for us. Now Rosie has gone on ahead, I'm left alone with them. Remember, Pogo is the character who said "we have found the enemy, and he is us". This collection is full of such wisdom that I find to be oh so timely..... always. You are so right about humor. It's like adding a bit of ether to the gas tank. Hal
Posted by: Hal Wilder | February 03, 2009 at 03:24 PM
Loved the Ben Frankin quote, never saw that one before, thanks Terry for a fun video post!
best,
Rick
Posted by: Dr. Rick Kirschner | October 10, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Speaking of the Power of Optimism and Humor, consider the number of Comics who are making a living with the number of pessimists and synics
Posted by: Hal Wilder | May 08, 2010 at 03:20 PM