Monday Motivation: Don’t Forget To Laugh

This guy could use a laugh.

Last week I shared a bit about my most recent experience running a marathon.  Somewhere around mile ten in the race, a guy named Greg came up behind me and asked “Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl going to the bathroom?”  I thought for a moment, started laughing, and correctly answered him with, “Because the ‘P’ is silent.”  He proceeded to tell about ten more equally sophisticated jokes.

For all I know, any joke at that stage of a marathon is funny.  The amazing thing about what Greg did was that he took our minds off the arduous task of running 26.2 miles, and for a split second turned our thoughts toward laughter and camaraderie.  There is incredible power in laughter, and that power is compounded when you are laughing with someone who’s in the same boat as you.

Lately, I have been opening meetings and interviews with an ice breaker question.  It’s rarely a serious question and more often than not it’s something intended to help us get to know each other better and even start the day laughing together.  On occasion, I even ask people to tell a funny joke they’ve heard recently.

Work and life can be incredibly difficult–all the more so when we are alone and unhappy.  Let’s make an effort to be the type of people who instigate laughter with those we are doing work and life with.  Life is too short to be unhappy and alone.  Heck, the work day is too long to go through it unhappy and alone.  Happy Monday!

[custom_author=admin]