Why so serious?

When did you last laugh out loud?

Who remembers the Jack Nicholson joker? His catchphrase was “Why so serious?” I didn’t use his picture as it’s a bit sinister. (plus there are royalties to pay 🙂
When do you last laugh out loud, laugh until you cried or your stomach hurt?
How far do you have to cast your mind back? Can you remember? Who were you with?

When did life get so serious and grim? 

Yes, I know we have had a pandemic and we are now in the middle of rampant inflation, a collapsing NHS, global warming and striking workers. But this creeping lack of joy pre-dates all of this.
I am not trying to gloss over these issues because they are real, but when did we forget how to laugh?

Everything is so, well, serious. 

We have to take ourselves and everyone else seriously, every problem and issue has similar weight and heft. Does it? I am not suggesting disrespect just a bit of balance and reality.

Look at the TV, gloomy police drama’s about serial killers; programmes delving into the darker recesses of human minds and behaviours. TV programmers seem to love a bit of emotion (mainly crying), how many of you have given up on the Repair Shop? I want to marvel over an artisan’s ability to fix things, their patience and skill not the crying that seems to be taking centre stage now.

How many of your friends fill you with joy? I am not saying that we don’t care about friends and family but does every conversation have to be talking about or solving a problem? Reading through this I can see you thinking burnout? 

Maybe, but we do need to look for fun and lightness.

Increasingly over the last few years I see young adult clients who are so worriedabout themselves. Every little thing; life is so joyless, such anxiety. I really feel for them and I am not dismissing the fact that life is difficult; but a sense of humour would leaven the dough.
Being the age I am, I’ll blame social media but also the societal thing of weighing and measuring everything. Smart watches, apps, Ofsted, charts for this and that, life/health guru’s. Strident groups shouting the odds. Is it improving life? Really?

We tend to start looking for problems and always expect solutions. Could we start looking for the good bits?

I am not suggesting a Pollyanna view of life pretending that all is well all of the time but how about remembering that

Laughter is the best medicine? 
I think we’d do well to give ourselves the maximum daily dose.