Week 43: The Role of Humor in My Healing

Finding Laughter in the Mess of Growth

When I started my healing journey, I took everything very seriously. I thought healing meant sitting in deep reflection, analyzing every emotion, and taking life lessons like a full-time job. It is important work, but somewhere along the way, I forgot how to laugh. I was too distracted with all the pain and chaos in my life to even try to enjoy anything.

Then one day, in the middle of an already chaotic morning, I managed to spill coffee down my shirt, drop my notebook, and trip walking through a doorway. For a split second, I wanted to cry. But instead, I laughed hard. The kind of laugh that makes your eyes water and your shoulders shake.

That laugh changed something in me.

I realized I didn’t have to be perfect to be healing. I didn’t have to hold it all together to make progress. Sometimes the most healing thing I can do is laugh at the mess, find humor in the chaos, and remind myself that life doesn’t have to be so heavy all the time. Because it does get heavy and we need a way to lighten the load.

Why Humor Matters in Recovery

Healing can be exhausting. You dig deep, revisit painful memories, and try to rewrite old stories. But laughter gives you a break from all that. It reminds you that you’re still human and that joy and pain can live side by side.

Here’s what I’ve learned about humor during my recovery:

• It breaks tension. When emotions get too heavy, a little humor helps me breathe again.
• It gives perspective. A laugh can turn “the worst day ever” into “a story I’ll tell later.”
• It builds connection. Laughing with others makes me feel less alone and more understood.
• It shows growth. When I can laugh at things that used to break me, I know I’ve come a long way.

Simple Ways to Invite More Laughter

1. Laugh at yourself. When something goes sideways, instead of beating yourself up, find the funny side. It’s humbling and freeing all at once.
2. Watch or listen to something silly. Comedy shows, goofy animal videos, or a friend’s funny story all count.
3. Surround yourself with lighthearted people. Spend time with those who make you laugh easily. Their energy is contagious.
4. Play more. Dance in your kitchen, tell bad jokes, sing loudly in the car. Life doesn’t have to be so serious.
5. Look for irony. Sometimes life’s timing is so ridiculous that all you can do is laugh. That’s your cue to let go.

Humor has become one of my favorite tools for healing. It reminds me that I can trip, spill, or stumble through this life and still be okay. Every time I find something to laugh about, I’m choosing grace over perfection and joy over judgment.

And honestly, that’s healing too.

What’s something that used to feel embarrassing or painful that you can laugh about now? What does that say about your growth?

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Join me on this blogging challenge. Visit the page and download the PDF. I would love to read your story! 

• Week 43 – Blogging Challenge for Codependency Recovery:
  • Practicing Self-Compassion: Share ways you’ve been kind to yourself.
• Week 43– Blogging Challenge for Advanced Codependency Recovery:
  • The Role of Humor in My Healing: Write about how humor has lightened your recovery journey.

#CodependencyChallenge2025