Looking towards 2017, I decided instead of New Year's Resolutions I would attempt themed months. I'd like January to be devoted to laughter. Once I decided that I'd like to start the year off with considerably more laughter I started to notice just how little I actually laugh.
I'm a first born of four to parents that divorced when I was young. A first born that took on way too much responsibility at too young of an age. A first born that takes life considerably more seriously than probably need be. Did I mention that I'm a first born?
I've noticed that I laugh in my head. At times there might be some laughter behind my closed mouth smile. I laugh a little if something is really funny. Very rarely do I laugh boisterously, and generally it's when I'm incredibly tired and my inhibitions are very low. I've noticed that I actually force laughter with my son fairly regularly. He takes a bit of pride in how humorous he is and he can get offended at people not noticing his hilarity. Often I'm too unfocused, or too foggy, or... they're all lame excuses; I find myself laughing at him on purpose and I need to work on being in the moment with him more often.
I'm looking forward to January, to a month of laughter. Right now my brainstorm contains a list of ideas to work at laughing more often:
Read funny stories, funny poems
Watch funny movies
Tickle regularly (Little Abe relishes tickling)
Tell jokes
Discover/ sing silly songs
Document on the blog one moment of laughter each day
Remind myself to laugh
-when I notice myself laughing in my head I intend to remind myself to laugh out loud
Take photos of laughter
Play more often
Make time to be less serious
Read a book(s) about laughter... or just quotes, haha!
I think I want a more detailed list but this is my brainstorm AND knowing me this will likely be my only list for the month. Is anyone else in denial about 2017 only being four days away? I can honestly look at the calendar and still totally not believe it.
On that note, I hope y'all can make the most of the rest of 2016!!!
Laughter is great and a great medicine. I don't know if you have ever watched Impractical Jokers on TruTv but it makes me laugh out loud even if I am watching it by myself. (However, I will admit to having a certain dark sense of humor)
ReplyDeleteImpractical Jokers is on of my husband's very favorite shows. It can tend to make me very tense but I do find myself laughing really hard at Joe. I think he is absolutely hilarious. And it's hard to not laugh at Sal's aversion to so many things... I think he's the easiest one for the guys to punish.
DeleteWe do watch it regularly :) Seems we've found something else you and I have in common.
I love Sal because everything they make him do either is way outside his comfort zone or makes him gag or cringe. Joe's facial expressions are my favorite!
DeleteI know, Sal gets REALLY uncomfortable so easily. Its really funny. The thing about Joe that I love though is how he just commits to everything. It's virtually impossible for the guys to throw him. And yeah, his facial expressions... He is a character!
DeleteOh I almost forget, the book Holiday on Ice by David Sedaris also makes me laugh. I can't read it in public because I look like a lunatic reading and laughing out loud.
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely look into that. Thanks for the suggestion!
DeleteI find humor in stupidity. I will do a stupid little dance and we all start laughing. I'm giving my brother-in-law a stupid Christmas gift next weekend that is regifted. I actually crossed my name out an wrote his name in for a holiday mug. We will all laugh hysterically when he opens it. I like stupid humor and laugh at myself as much as other people. I don't laugh to make people feel bad though. Plus, laughing burns crazy calories.
ReplyDeleteI'm not very quick to find humor in stupidity, but I know what you're saying. You've described my husband's personality exactly. He is the silly, funny, fun one and I'm too serious. At least with little Abe I can do a stupid little dance to get us laughing though. I intend to do such things more often this year.
Delete