Let in the laughing

When was the last time you had a really good belly laugh?

I’m talking the kind of laughing that leaves your cheeks sore, your eyes watery, and your makeup spread all over your face.

You know what makes me laugh, like catch your breath hard laugh? Watching Instagram posts. I love the animal ones, the swear-y ones, the ones where people get spooked or surprised, and even the ones that are quite inappropriate to some audiences. You’ll find some of the most rediculous posts with fun-loving people setting themselves up for someone else’s enjoyment. I thank them kindly for that!

I’ve always loved a good laugh. I’m certain I got that from my mother and my siblings. I’ve done my motherly duty and passed it on to my daughters who are now raising kids with a sense of humour that keeps Grandma laughing. Love that about our family! Laughing with all of them leaves me feeling like I’ve moved the heavy from my shoulders and transmuted it into sheer goodness.

Laughter isn’t just a reaction—it’s a choice we make to let go, even if just for a second, of everything weighing us down. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our routines and responsibilities that we forget what it feels like to be light, in thought and in energy. The human sauce has rudely shared that being a grown-up should mean that we don’t get to have as much fun as we once did.

I call bullshit on that, because as I see it, we need playfulness and laughter now more than ever. People are worried about politics, the economy, their finances, their relationships, and so much more. It’s not exactly a great time in history, it’s actaully a shit-show if you let it be one. I say, don’t let it be one.

This isn’t a new concept on this blog but it’s always worth repeating. Releasing the negative and embracing the positive is a choice. We’re not talking changing our entire way of living here, unless that’s what you’re looking for in which case I’m totally in! We’re talking giving ourselves the gift of feeling elevated instead of sitting in the muck. Giving ourselves the gift of laughter.

I know that when life is tough, we often don’t allow ourselves to be anything but hyper-vigilant and on focus. It’s like a protection so we don’t fall apart. But we forget that living without any goodness gives us what we don’t want, not what we do want.

Making ourselves laugh is a necessary part of a healthy, healing lifestyle. Leave room in your day for the lighter stuff—the giggles, the silliness, the moments that lift us up. They’re medicine for the soul. They help us reconnect with ourselves, with each other, and with the world in ways that’s real and healing. When we make space for laughter, even in small ways, we’re choosing to honour our own well-being—and that’s a powerful act of self-love.

So if it’s been a while since you last laughed, let this be your invitation. Find something—anything—that brings a smile to your face and let yourself enjoy it, no matter how small or silly it may seem. You deserve that lightness. We all do.

Be silly, be rediculous even, do something your mom would say is rude. Dance to some music in the wildest way you can. Share a joke, a funny story, or a silly meme with a friend. Connect with others who like to laugh too.