Motivational Humor—How Jokes Can Get You Through The Day
According to the Mayo Clinic, research shows that laughter has a number of physiological and mental benefits. In the short term, laughter can reduce stress, stimulate various organs, and relax your muscles. It may also offer long-term benefits, including relieving pain, boosting your immune system, and enhancing your mood. In addition to providing physical and mental health benefits, humor may serve as motivation throughout the day.
While we all experience concerns that are very real, other concerns sometimes seem humorous in hindsight. Whether it’s an argument you had over something trivial or something you were embarrassed about that ended up being irrelevant, there are ways to find the humorous in everyday life, and these moments may boost your motivation during an average day.
Below, we’ll look at how humor isn’t just a way to kill time and take your mind off serious topics. It can also serve as a mental tool for motivating yourself and getting through the day with your happiness intact.
Humor therapy is a real thing
Humor’s impact on our happiness can be so profound that there are fields of therapy dedicated to using it to improve people’s everyday lives. One study published in the Journal of Aging Research explored humor therapy for senior citizens with chronic pain. The study was carried out over the course of eight weeks and found a 40% increase in happiness among participants when compared to a control group. The recipients of the therapy reported not only increased happiness but also a decrease in their pain, which suggests that regularly engaging with humor may yield physical benefits, too.
However, “humor therapy” as a focused practice isn’t always necessary to get results. Simply finding time in your day to engage with the humorous aspects of life can be an effective way to start building a more positive psychology and an overall better sense of well-being.
Practices for daily use
To use humor for daily motivation, it may help to remind ourselves that some of the problems we face may not be as bad as we think. This isn’t to say that people’s problems aren’t real. Some people experience mental health challenges that require the care of a physician or mental health professional. However, for lesser problems, taking a humorous point of view may provide a fresh perspective. Below are a few ways to keep the funny flowing throughout the day:
Use humor as a distraction
Humor can sometimes serve as a form of distraction. For example, some people choose to distract themselves with a funny cat video on YouTube to cheer themselves up. As silly as it may seem, that can be a useful distraction during a rough patch during your day. You might try to have funny videos, GIFs, or other comedic distractions on hand to distract yourself once or twice during an average day.
Research shows that the act of laughing reduces the effect of stress hormones in your body. For this reason, you might try to find opportunities to laugh. In addition to using technology to find humor, you might try to spend time with the people you find funny.
Sometimes, even just knowing that you have someone or something close by that will cheer you up can make your day feel more bearable. Those few refreshing moments of humor can make the tasks at hand seem not quite so burdensome. After a brief distraction, you may find it easier to get back to your tasks, and you might even be more productive.
Find an excuse to laugh
In addition to seeking out humor from others, you may benefit from making other people laugh. This strategy involves putting yourself out there a bit more, but it may be just as rewarding—if not more so—than laughing at someone else’s jokes. If you’re going to work and aren’t sure how you’re going to make it through a busy day, it may help to think of something funny you might tell a colleague or friend when you find some downtime. It could be something from last weekend or just something odd you overheard the other day.
You may find that making others laugh leads them to share humorous situations with you, which can lead to a more enjoyable, mutually beneficial work environment.
Beyond humor: Finding help for life’s challenges
While humor can sometimes help during stressful times, some challenges may require professional support. If you’re experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, you don’t have to face it alone. There are licensed therapists available with experience in your areas of concern. If you’re not feeling well enough to see a therapist in the office, you might consider online therapy, which many studies have demonstrated to be effective for a number of mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.
Online therapy allows you to choose from online therapists all over the country. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can talk to a therapist via phone, live chat, or videoconferencing at a time that works for you.
Takeaway
What are some motivational sayings?
There are numerous quotes and sayings that may help to spark your motivation, including the following:
- “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney
- “We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them” - Albert Einstein
- “Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too.” - Mark Twain
- “It is only when we take chances, when our lives improve. The initial and the most difficult risk that we need to take is to become honest.” - Walter Anderson
- “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.” - Micheal Jordan
What is the inspirational quote for laughter?
Because of the inspirational power of laughter, there is no shortage of famous or funny motivational quotes that have been written or said by interesting individuals throughout time. Here are several quotes about laughter that may help to inspire.
- “It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” - Charlie Chaplin
- “Laughter is an instant vacation.” - Milton Berle
- “I try to find a reason to laugh each day. Somehow, if you can incorporate laughter into your day, every day, it really helps. It’s the little things in life that make me happy.” - Faith Hill
- “Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it, then move on.” - Bob Newhart
- “The highest state is laughter.” - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
What is the best motivational line?
While the best motivational line for you may vary based on your life experiences, the challenges you face, and what situation you find yourself in now, there are some quotations that many individuals are motivated by. Here are a few motivational lines that may be beneficial.
- “We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough.” - Helen Keller
- “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” - Confucius
- “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” - Babe Ruth
- “A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.” - Justin Sewel
- “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” - Chinese Proverb
- “Fear is only a four-letter word.” - Jeff Hardy
- “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” - Elbert Hubbard
- “When you change your thoughts, remember to also change your world.” - Norman Vincent Peale
- “The sure sign of an amateur is he has a million plans, and they all start tomorrow.” - Steven Pressfield
What are some positive motivations?
According to the American Psychological Association, positive motivation is an impulse that dries us to engage in behaviors that may help us achieve desired outcomes. Positive motivations may take the form of rewards, as opposed to negative motivations, which tend to relate to the avoidance of potential consequences. While what positive motivations you use may vary, here are a few examples of reward-related motivators that may be helpful.
- Getting food from a favorite restaurant after finishing a project
- Achieving a specific physique by consistently exercising
- Visiting a desirable destination by saving up a certain amount of money
- Spend time engaging in a hobby after completing all of your work for the day
How do I have fun quotes?
The ways that a person can have fun will vary based on their interests and which activities they enjoy engaging in. Here are a few famous or funny motivational quotes that may help to illustrate the importance of having fun.
- “Fun is one of the most important, and underrated, ingredients in any successful venture. If you’re not having fun, then it's probably time to call it quits and try something else.” - Richard Branson
- “At the end of the day, I feel like if you’re not having fun with what you do, there’s really not much of a point to be doing it.” - Travis Kelce
- “You gotta have fun. Regardless of how you look at it. We’re playing a game. It’s a business, it’s our job, but I don’t think you can do well unless you’re having fun.” - Derek Jeter
- “A successful competition for me is always going out there and putting 100 percent into whatever I’m doing. It’s not always winning. People, I think, mistake that it’s just winning. Sometimes it could be, but for me, it’s hitting the best sets I can, gaining confidence, and having a good time and having fun.” - Simone Biles
- “Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?” - Edward Bergen
- “By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.” - Robert Frost
Which makes you happy?
While the activities or components of life that make a person happy can be unique to each individual, there are some behaviors that may have a more significant chance of producing positive feelings, including:
- Exercise: Research suggests that physical activity can increase life satisfaction and happiness among individuals of any age. This effect may increase with moderate and high levels of physical activity.
- Forming Healthy Relationships: Caring for the well-being of others and forming healthy relationships may also increase happiness. In many cases, this can be accomplished by engaging in open communication, developing positive conflict resolution skills, and being honest about your needs with others.
- Practicing Mindfulness: Mindfulness can help individuals be happier by avoiding negative thought patterns and focusing on the present moment. This may be accomplished in a number of ways, including through journaling, meditation, or by seeking the help of a mental health professional.
Why does laughter make me feel better?
One of the reasons that laughter can make us feel better is due to its ability to release endorphins. These neurotransmitters, which are released by different parts of the brain like the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, can suppress hormones like cortisol in order to reduce stress levels. Endorphins can also act as a natural mood booster, which may alleviate feelings of discomfort and create a better overall sense of well-being. Laughter can also help us bond with others, which can help us create more healthy social connections. This socialization benefit can not only bring us further happiness but may help to establish a strong support system for us to rely on in the future.
Why is it better to laugh and be happy?
Laughter can have a number of benefits, including:
- Mood Improvement: Laughter can release endorphins, a type of neurotransmitter that can help suppress the production of stress hormones like cortisol. This can also improve your mood and may help to lessen the effects of conditions like depression and anxiety.
- Ability to Decrease Pain: Another benefit of the endorphins released by laughter may be a decrease in pain. By increasing an individual's pain threshold, laughter may act as a “natural painkiller,” relaxing the muscles and allowing for a brief higher intake of oxygen.
- Social Benefits: Laughter may also help to improve social connections and strengthen relationships. By laughing, you may have more opportunities to resolve conflicts amicably and can increase the amount of bonding that takes place during social gatherings.
What is the coolest quote ever?
Individuals may find different quotes “cool” for a variety of reasons. Here are a few famous quotes that you may find cool, inspirational, or motivational.
- “If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” - James Cameron
- “Do one thing every day that scares you.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Change is not a four-letter word…but often your reaction to it is!” - Jeffrey Gitomer
- “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” - Aristotle
- “Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.” - Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
- “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” - Robin Williams
- “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.” - Helen Keller
- “Happiness is good health and a bad memory.” - Ingrid Bergman
- “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” - Will Rogers
- “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” - Abraham Lincoln
- “Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” - David Augsburger
- “You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.” - Maya Angelou
What is a good quote for a girl?
There have been countless inspirational female figures in history with numerous inspirational quotations. Some of these quotes include:
- “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” - Dolly Parton
- “Every time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.” - Maya Angelou
- “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
- “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” - Audrey Hepburn
- “Honest criticism, I suppose, has its place. But honest writing is infinitely more valuable.” - Rachel Cusk
- “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” - Rosa Parks
- “Good stories are not written. They are rewritten.” - Phyllis A. Whitney
- “They’ll tell you that you’re too loud and you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.” - Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez
- “Whatever the problem, be part of the solution.” - Tina Fey
- “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” - Michelle Obama
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