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HUMOR - LAUGHING YOUR HEART OUT
Marian Baltazar
Class of 1980, University of the Philippines College of Manila
AB Poltical Science
Usually, people tend to be pessimistic in life that they become so problematic, but if we have humor, we can
always have that attitude of laughing our heart out no matter what circumstances surround us. It is then that
we need humor to ...balance and enlighten our life. Humor helps us keep a positive, optimistic outlook through
difficult situations, disappointments and loss. Let us all admit that laughter makes us feel good and this good
feeling that we get when we laugh remains with us even after the laughter subsides. Yes, the fact remains that
laughter can help us relax and recharge. It definitely reduces our stress and increases our energy, enabling us to
stay focused and be able to accomplish more things in our life.
As a matter of fact, laughter relaxes our whole body. Apparently, a good hearty laugh relieves physical tension
and stress. This actually leaves our muscles relaxed for the rest of the 45 minutes after. You cannot feel
anything when you’re laughing. You don’t even feel anxious, angry or sad at all. All you want to do is laugh out
loud and when you do that, you feel good inside. You have got that light feeling deep inside your heart that it
empties everything which makes your heart ache.
There are times when you just feel like laughing, and sometimes it happens when you’re plainly watching a
television. With just a simple act that you see on screen, you will often find yourself amused at that particular
scene. Then you start to smile and gradually it turns into laughter, which goes on and on and on and eventually
it makes you laugh your heart out too. Humor shifts your perspective, which allows you to see situations in a
more realistic less threatening light. Thus, a humorous perspective creates psychological distance, and this
helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
To put it bluntly, humor gets you out of your head and away from all your troubles in life. Yes, it’s true that
laughter helps you forget judgments, criticisms and doubts. It also helps your release your inhibitions too, so
that your fear of holding back and holding on are set aside. Then, that only means that humor helps you
express your true feelings. More often than not, we become too serious in life that we even forget to smile.
Sometimes we become like that classic tight-jawed sourpuss who takes everything with deathly seriousness
and never laughs at anything. We know very well that there is no fun being in this state and condition. One
essential characteristic that will help us laugh is not to take ourselves seriously. It is about time that we should
bring humor and laughter into our life. Let us try to develop our sense of humor and take ourselves less
seriously. Try to see the brighter side of life and try to be witty and facetious, thereby developing that sense of
humor by laughing our heart out.
Questions for discussion:
1. Do you have a sense of humor? Why or why not do you say so?
2. Do you believe that being humorous makes you witty? If yes, how is it so? If not, explain your answer.
3. How often do you laugh your heart out? Explain your answer.
4. What really makes you happy in life? Justify your answer.
5. Does being a humorous person make you feel young? Justify your answer.