A message from Sandy. Within all of us is the potential to experience life as an adventure, or as a series of unfortunate events that lead to our eventual and unavoidable death. No one disagrees that life can be hard. Do you use your sense of humor (do you even know where it is?) to help cope with difficult situations? More importantly, I hope you do truly appreciate how lucky you are if you are a humorous person. The ability to smile, or laugh during times of stress is a gift, that not only improves your experience of life, but also energizes those around you. (some people I suppose cannot appreciate something they do not have–that’s okay.)

Everyone has worked with or known someone who is miserable most of the time. Nobody likes a grouch! You know who I am talking about, those people who suck the life out of you. You dread having to talk to them. They are always dictating, complaining, or moping. When you see them on your caller ID you don’t answer. Not only that, but they are the  fun squashers! (you know who you are—there is NO laughing in dentistry!) Are there lives really much different from yours? Probably not, but the way they approach everyday issues separates them.

In contrast, have you ever met someone that makes you feel energized? When you are around them they bring to the surface the young and fun part of you. What is it about them that makes you feel this way? I’ll bet it is their sense of humor, these people are attractive because of the way we feel around them. If they have a sense of humor in a difficult situation, then so can we. It’s empowering. In any undesirable situation, you have 2 options:

1. Wallow, and repeat
2. Suck it up, and move forward

Having a sense of humor allows you to jump to the second option. Your ability to change your circumstances may be limited, but your ability to change your perception is not. If you can do nothing about the situation you are in, then stop torturing yourself and find something humorous about it. By focusing in the humorous element, you have automatically broken the self destructive process. Life may be short but if it turns out to be longer, then losing your sense of humor will make the extra time more insufferable!