Understanding Emotional Intelligence or Emotional Quotient (EQ)

Laughter and relationship. (Social benefits)

“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.” — Audrey Hepburn

We love people who make us laugh. We tend to gravitate towards people with a cheerful disposition. A smile attracts people like magnets and makes them feel comfortable. most companies encouraged their customer care representatives to always have smiles on their faces when dealing with customers because of it social benefits. Over the years standup comedy has morphed into a money-spinning venture. People are ready to pay to have a merry laugh. The ability to laugh, play, and have fun not only makes life more enjoyable but also helps solve problems, connect people, create bonds and strengthen relationships. People who incorporate laughter and humour into their daily lives find that it renews them and harmonise their social relationships.

 

  Social benefits of laughter Laughter strengthens relationships 

All emotional sharing builds strong and lasting relationship bonds but shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. Sharing laughter adds joy, vitality, and resilience to any relationship. Laughter and humour are powerful and effective ways to heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Laughter and humourous communication strengthen relationships by triggering positive feelings and fostering emotional connection. When you laugh with others, it creates a positive bond. This bond acts as a strong buffer against dispute, disagreements, and disappointment. Laughter is a non-negotiable for all relationships. You’re more likely to laugh around other people than when you’re alone. And the more laughter you bring into your own life, the happier you and those around you will feel. It has been proven that couples who laugh together enjoy quality relationships. 

   Laughter attracts others to you Laughter connects you with others, as with smiling and kindness, people find laughter contagious. So, if you add more laughter into your life, you invariably make others around you to laugh more. By elevating the mood of people around you, you reduce their stress levels as well as improve the quality of your social interaction with them. The more you laugh each day with those around you, the less effort it takes you to maintain a good relationship with them. You can’t enjoy a laugh with others unless you take the time to really engage with them. People are attracted to those they regarded as jolly good fellows, people that are lively and fun to be with.. 

   Laughter enhances teamwork Humour and laughter, when engaged in teamwork, can be used to resolve disagreements, arguments and tension during deliberations and brainstorming sessions especially when temper or emotion becomes high. Sharing heartfelt laughter with friends or co-workers can enhance teamwork, it can forge a strong bond among members which can have a profound effect on all aspects of the team’s relationship as well as improve their mental and emotional health. During tense moments, laughter can help rebalances the nervous system and forestall defensive responses. This can create an enabling environment for effective and efficient growth in an organisation. 

   Laughter helps defuse conflict Nothing defuses anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Laughter lightens confrontations, bitterness or resentment. Looking at the funny side of things can help shift perspective, allowing you to see problems in a more realistic and less threatening way. A humorous perspective can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, anxious, angry, or sad at situations. Laughter is a powerful tool for defusing conflict and reducing tension when emotions are running high. Learn to use laughter and humour to smooth over disagreements and lower people’s tension level. Whether with romantic partners, friends and family, or co-workers,

Make laughter part of your life 

Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn, though at times the vicissitudes of life bury our natural inclination to laugh. But then you can exhume it; by seeking out people who like to laugh and make others laugh. By spending time with fun, playful people. Those who can laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and those who find the humour in everyday activities. People with a playful point of view and laughter are contagious. 

  Get more laughter in your life with the following strategies: 

   Laugh with friends Avoid negative people and try to keep away from news stories, or conversations that make you sad or unhappy. Seek the company of lively friends Laughing with friends is a great way to get more laughter in your life. Inviting friends over for a party or hosting a game night for friends is also a great setup for laughter and other good feelings. 

   Going to a movie or show Invite friends or co-workers out to a movie or a comedy show. Every comedian appreciates an audience. Making time for this kind of fun is as important as any other health habit, and probably more enjoyable than most health habits we undertake and less strenuous too. Movies and shows are easy ways to get laughter into your life whenever you need it. During the show, the contagious effects of laughter will make you laugh more than you would otherwise. 

   Feign laughter Instead of complaining about the unfairness of life, try to laugh about them. If you can’t find laughter in your life, then feign it. Just as people feign smile to cover up unhappiness, feign laughter too to cover up life’s unpleasant situations. Feigned laughter can be just as beneficial as the real thing. It will still produce the same positive effects on people. Also, your body can't differentiate between feigned laughter that you did on purpose and genuine laughter. The physical and social benefits are exactly the same.

 Incorporate humour and laughter into the fabric of your life. There is no shortage of laughter opportunities from the entertainment industries, lots of movies and T.V. comedies have hilarious scenes designed to make you laugh. Because laughter is contagious some TV sitcoms use laugh tracks to make their audience laugh as well. Laughter is a potent drug with contagious power and lots of benefits for the mind and body.