Why Humor Matters for Happiness
Humor can help us with stress, anxiety and feeling more connected to others. But is humor connected to mindfulness? And how can we find more of it?
\n\nLink to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2p9dkds7
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Episode summary:
\n\nFor Emmy- nominated comedian Josh Johnson, humor has always come naturally. But over time, Josh has found it difficult to\xa0 reignite his passion for comedy outside of his career. For our show, Josh wrote down three funny things he experienced every day for a week. He noticed that funny moments often arise from a series of interconnected events, and that they aren\u2019t always something we can prepare for. Instead, it\u2019s the unexpected moments that often lead to a comedic sense of joy. Later, we hear from psychologist Sonja Heintz about the connection between various types of humor and mindfulness, and how engaging in mindful practices can spur more positive and benevolent types of humor.\xa0
\n\nPractice:
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Take 10 minutes a day for at least a week to write down 3 of the funniest moments you experienced throughout the day.
\nWrite down why you think these funny moments happened.\xa0
\nRemember to write down as much detail about the moment as possible. These funny moments do not have to be of major importance.\xa0
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Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action:
\n\nhttps://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/three_funny_things
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Today\u2019s guests:
\n\nJosh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated comedian and writer for The Daily Show. This interview was recorded before the Writer\u2019s Guild and Screen Actors\u2019 Guild strikes began.\xa0
\n\nLearn more about Josh Johnson: https://www.joshjohnsoncomedy.com/
\n\nFollow Josh on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/33f4nkv2
\n\nFollow Josh on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/3txe78kf
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Sonja Heintz is a psychologist at the University of Plymouth who specializes in positive psychology.\xa0
\n\nLearn more about Sonja and her work: https://tinyurl.com/mt4vs6cx
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Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
\n\nWhy Laughing Is Good for You (The Science of Happiness Podcast): https://tinyurl.com/4z3snujy
\n\nHow Laughter Brings Us Together: https://tinyurl.com/2cnapztk
\n\nFour Funny Ways Laughter Is Good for You: https://tinyurl.com/5x6d9jp3
\n\nHow a Little Humor Can Improve Your Work Life: https://tinyurl.com/bdzz6thx
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More Resources on Humor:
\n\nBBC - How comedy makes us better people: https://tinyurl.com/ytywxb94
\n\nHarvard - Humor, Laughter, and Those Aha Moments: https://tinyurl.com/ujjmzc75
\n\nTed - The Superpower of Humour: https://tinyurl.com/53chw3nz
\n\nWhen Everything Is Heavy, a Touch of Humor Can Help: https://tinyurl.com/s6ydmyu4
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What are three funny things that happened in your life recently? Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
\n\nHelp us share The Science of Happiness!
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