The Healing Power of a Deep Belly Laugh

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts." — Marcus Aurelius

When life gets hard, our instinct is often to become more serious. We carry the weight of responsibilities, worries, and heartbreak as though smiling somehow dishonors the moment.

I've come to believe the opposite is often true.

Recently, I was reminded of the healing power of shared laughter...

A friend and I sat on a bench after she had received devastating health news about a family member. We talked for nearly an hour. Of course, we spoke about the heartbreak. We sat with the uncertainty and the fear. But then the stories started. First came the grins. Then the giggles. Before long, we were laughing so hard our faces hurt. As I drove home, it struck me that despite the heaviness of the day, we had spent much of our time together laughing. We had shared a tender moment of simply being human—even in the middle of a heartbreaking situation.

The laughter didn't diminish the pain. It gave us the strength to carry it.

The Mayo Clinic reports that genuine laughter increases oxygen intake, releases endorphins, eases the body's stress response, and leaves us feeling more relaxed. Over time, laughter can improve mood, strengthen resilience, and even support our immune system.

One of my favorite findings is that we're far more likely to laugh when we're with other people than when we're alone. Dr. Amit Sood—a world-leading expert in resilience and stress management and the creator of the Mayo Clinic Resilient Mind program—notes that we're about 30 times more likely to laugh in good company.

Think about your people. The ones who understand your inside jokes. The ones who can make you laugh with a single look. The conversations that would sound completely ridiculous to anyone listening nearby. Those moments aren't wasted. They're restorative.

Guard those friendships. Make time for them. They are one of life's greatest gifts.

And here's one more thought: be the person who brings appropriate lightness. Not by ignoring pain. Not by forcing humor where it doesn't belong. But by carrying hope into difficult places.

Some of the most resilient people I know have this gift. They acknowledge reality while gently reminding everyone around them that joy hasn't disappeared. Sometimes a smile, a funny memory, or an unexpected laugh gives people permission to breathe again.

Laughter doesn't erase suffering. It reminds us that suffering doesn't get the final word.

Your Call to Action:

This week, make time for someone who makes you laugh. Call the friend with whom you share a hundred inside jokes. Sit a little longer after lunch. Tell the story you've both heard a dozen times. And when the opportunity arises, be the person who brings a little light into someone else's heavy day.

You never know who needs that gift.

Maybe it's someone else.

Maybe it's you.

Who are the people who leave you with sore cheeks from laughing? How can you become someone whose presence helps others remember that even on life's hardest days, joy still has a place?

In your corner,

Linda

PS: Perhaps you have missed my last few blogs. You can always catch up with them on my Substack page (https://lindalovin.substack.com) or on my website (lindalovin.com). 

Also, I continue to hold a few spaces for private clients. Recent clients have said this about their work with me: 

"I have reached a lot of the goals I set out to achieve and Linda had prepared me with the tools to keep growing and working on myself and my goals. She is a fantastic coach."  

"Just that one conversation led to some small changes that actually feel kind of big so I'm already feeling a lifting of some weight. ... Thank you, Linda. I'm reflecting on our conversation...feeling light and relief...Thank you, seriously."