As soap is to the body, so laughter is to the soul. — A Jewish Proverb

As humans, we all need to belong, whether with our circle of friends or in our workplaces. However, our fear of rejection and not blending in sometimes affect how we interact with others (Brown, 2021).

During a  conversation with “The Happy Nurse” Elaina Mullery, we discussed the importance of making connections both in our personal and professional lives.

There will be instances when we’re afraid to put our authentic selves out there, thinking that others won’t accept us.
We tell ourselves various stories that make us believe we’re not worthy of belonging or will be accepted.

Lauren was always interested in spirituality and holistic health but felt she could not share this side of her at work in the western medical system. “I felt like I had my feet in two camps. I wasn't being real. And this contributed to me feeling  unhappy and burned out,” states Lauren.

These narratives become divisive and may hinder us from trying to make connections with others. Our need to belong is evolutionary. We aspire to interact with others and hopefully form a meaningful connection with them.

One of the ways to initiate bonds is through humour. Everybody appreciates a good laugh. “Studies show that people are 30 times more prone to laughter in company than when on their own” (Albert, 2022).

Laughter serves as a pressure release and stimulates dopamine and serotonin (Yim, 2016).  It’s also highly contagious and uplifts the mood of the people around. When people are in a good mood, they become more welcoming toward others; thus, starting and continuing a connection is easy.

We also see this on social media; certain pages or groups are dedicated to making us laugh through videos or memes. And we love to share them! We show a little more authenticity through humour and laughter.

Humour holds a group together, especially in stressful situations. A break filled with laughter makes employees feel revitalised to return to work. Furthermore, laughing together impacts the entire working day, tasks seem to be lighter, and professionals enjoy their day more.

Elaina adds, "Some of my best shifts ever as a nurse have been the days that we’ve been able to have a laugh. At the appropriate moments, of course!”

Having a sense of humour also impacts how we handle our work. Being grumpy will affect your mental health and performance at work and outside of work.

Coming from a happy place shines through with the care we give our patients, making us feel good about ourselves.

As we reach adulthood, we tend to take life too seriously, which may unconsciously affect how we maintain relationships with others. We forget that as kids, we were more adventurous and spontaneous, and we used to have the freedom to enjoy ourselves.

When we start doing what really makes us happy, everything lights up. And we become more attractive to others and benefit the people around us. We think less of the negative and focus on how we can become more productive at work.

If you ever want to initiate a connection but are unsure how to, try using humour that others can relate to. It allows others to see who you really are, and at the same time, it gives a sense of belongingness.

If you would love to learn how to be funnier and use humour to strengthen relationships, feel better about yourself and even improve the culture of your workplace then join us for our latest interactive, fun and informative workshop:

EXHAUSTED TO EMPOWERED: High-Performance Humour For Nurses
With special guest Kate Burr comedian a high performance humour coach.

3.5 CPD Hours!

References

Albert, E., (2022) It’s a laughing matter. Psychology Now. 2(2),50-51.

Brown, B., (2021). Atlas of the heart. Penguin Random House.

Yim, J.. (2016). Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter in Mental Health: A Theoretical Review. The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine, 239(3), 243–249.

Authors

Elaina Mullery & Lauren Bell