The Benefits of Laughing at Yourself
“That’s ridiculous!” he said with a chuckle the moment he saw the photo. A slight chuckle.
I, on the other hand, was laughing out loud. In fact, I hadn’t stopped laughing since I created the dueling mustache photo of the two of us. A much needed modification to a photo that I didn’t think was good enough to share, until I gave myself a mustache.
Me with a mustache to match his, now that’s funny. Silly, playful, fun. And oh so funny.
“Don’t you think it’s funny? Come on, admit it. It is funny.” I insisted.
“What’s funny is how funny you think you are. You really get a kick out of yourself.” he said with a grin.
He’s right. I do get a kick out of myself. I often find humor in my actions, behaviors, even my fears. I have the ability to laugh at myself. It is especially helpful when I am unnecessarily critical of myself.
It was not always the case.
For years, I took myself too seriously. Without even realizing it. I had adult responsibilities and big aspirations. I was busy trying to prove myself and striving for perfection. So busy that I didn’t see the humor in my own human-ness.
Perhaps, similar to wisdom, learning to laugh at yourself comes with age.
Self-laughter, except when it is self-defeating, is good for you and can have a positive impact on your life. It causes a release of endorphins, healthy neurotransmitters that boost happiness and fight emotional and physical pain. It promotes a sense of self-acceptance and increases confidence and resilience. It also provides perspective about what is important and what is not.
According to Shoba Sreenivasan, Ph.D., and Linda E. Weinberger, Ph.D., psychology professors at the Keck School of Medicine at USC and authors of a recent blog post How Laughing at Yourself Can Be Good for Your Well-Being, “If we have good ego strength, finding humor in who we are or what we do not only reminds us of our humanness, but also promotes positive interpersonal interactions and relationships. It’s good for our well-being.”
Self-laughter is also beneficial in the workplace. A 2013 study by researchers Colette Hoption (Seattle University), Julian Barling (Queen’s University), and Nick Turner (University of Manitoba) found that business leaders who strike the right balance, laughing at themselves but not their colleagues, may be seen as more likable, trustworthy, and caring.
Tell me, do you have the ability to laugh at yourself? What inspires you to do so?
If you need inspiration, I highly recommend finding a less-than-ideal photo of yourself and giving yourself a mustache.
