How Laughter Can Help You and Your Spouse During Tough Times
Shawnda Muir December 18, 2020
Dear Friends,
Have you and your spouse taken time to laugh together lately? Laughter can be an incredible relief on an ordinary day, but it’s especially important during difficult times. In order to endure tough times and come out stronger on the other side, we must be able to laugh.
Wondering how laughter can help you and your spouse during tough times? Enjoy Dr. Les and Leslie Parrott's following suggestions!
LAUGHTER LIGHTENS THE MOOD.
Going through a time of prolonged challenge can make us prone to dark moods, negativity, and pessimism. When we make an effort to laugh, we have the power to lighten the mood and help pull one another out of the gloom.
Having a tough time finding things to laugh about? Consider telling funny stories from the past, watching your favorite comedy film, or pulling out old photos–anything that brings you joy. Sometimes, we have to cultivate our laughter and seek out joy. If you’re in the middle of a difficult season in your life, we highly recommend searching for joy anywhere you can find it.
LAUGHTER REDUCES STRESS.
Focus on laughing more–both together and on your own. According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter really is medicine. The ability to find humor despite difficult circumstances can help reduce the physical symptoms of stress. Laughing can increase the flow of oxygen in the body, soothes your body’s stress response, and relieves tension in the body. Laughter boosts your mood and can have long-term, positive effects on your immune system and overall health.
Laughter can help make a seemingly unbearable situation bearable. It can lift the spirit and redirect our focus from the things we’re facing in day-to-day life. Because stress is so detrimental to our overall wellbeing, the ability to laugh could ultimately preserve our health so we can get to the other side of a tough time with our wellness intact.
LAUGHTER HELPS YOU RECONNECT TO FUN AND PLAY.
Laughing can spark playfulness–an important part of every happy marriage. Letting loose and playing together is healthy for married couples. Fun and play have the power to dramatically change your day, and if you’re taking the time to play together, you’ll be able to create that joy over and over again.
Play can look different from one couple to the next. It might mean shared activities, like playing tennis or riding bikes. It could be playing board games or cooking together. Or, it could mean taking time for intimacy when you might otherwise let life take over. Whatever play looks like for you, start seeking it out–you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
LOOKING FOR RESOURCES ON HAPPINESS AND RESILIENCE?
If you need a guide to finding joy together, check out Making Happy. You can take action immediately with our 21-day Happiness Plan and start experiencing the results right away.
For a guidebook to overcoming difficult times, check out You’re Stronger Than You Think. In addition to cultivating joy, it’s also critical to build resilience during hard times. We know you can do it–and we can help.
Click here to check out many marriage video clips from Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott. Or hereto go to MMOC's marriage website pages for previous posts and other info.
Contact our MFL team for marriage support anytime.
