This week I found myself returning to my breath numerous times throughout each day, to reset myself and strengthen my resilience. It was a week full of many opportunities and learnings, and a very full week which often left me feeling rushed and stressed. It was a week that reminded me of the importance of resilience, especially now.

“Emotional resilience is the ability to bounce back after a setback
and to thrive, not just survive, in the midst of challenges.”
-Elena Aguilar

 

As we prepare for the week ahead, my colleagues and I are intentionally trying to support resilience. There are hundreds of strategies for building resilience. The Onward Workbook and website are rich sources. Yesterday, we opened The Onward Workbook and the strategy of using humor immediately resonated with us. In this post, I will write about humor, drawing on the work of Peter Jonas.

Humor helps you be here now.
It yanks you out of the drama of an experience,
away from ruminating over the past or worrying about the future,
and plunks you in the present.”
– Elena Aguilar

How are you? No, really. How are you? This question has taken on a much deeper meaning since March 2020 when our world changed. I find myself asking the question more deeply, answering it more authentically, and opening more space to talk about emotions at work. When my answer to How are you? is not how I want to feel, often humor helps me re-energize myself.

Watch the video, Stuck On An Escalator:

How do you feel now? Every time I watch this video I find it funnier. In fact, when I think about the video I laugh. When I watch the video with others, I also feel a sense of connection and belonging through our shared laughter.

Peter Jonas indicates a number of positive effects from laughter:

• refocuses and reengages us, increases memory of an event, and can transform learning
• burns calories
• can add 8 or more years to one’s life
• increases job satisfaction
• builds and strengthens relationships, connects us
• releases stress and anxiety

“Humor, connected to the material helps people remember the material
17% longer and approximately 37% more effectively.”
– Peter Jonas

Strategies to increase laughter:

• share a funny story
• show a humorous video clip
• share a comic or a cartoon

I’d like to share a few notes of caution concerning humor. First, humor is often very language dependent. When I was in Spain, I missed most of the jokes until my fluency increased enough to understand the nuances of the language. I’ll never forget the first joke I truly understood. I want to keep this in mind, as I consider my audience, to make sure the language is comprehensible or that I give language scaffolds. Second, choose strategies and tools carefully, with an eye on what is culturally appropriate. Many comics stereotype or critique a group of people. Finally, consider timing. There are times when humor will help a situation and times when it is just plain inappropriate due to the seriousness of the situation.

I go into the week ahead with an attitude of hope, and with an important tool at the forefront of my resilience practice. I can use it as a strategy to get myself off the stuck escalator and move on to the critical work of supporting teachers so that they can support their students, our hope and our future.

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”
-Victor Borge

Resources:
Peter Jonas Website
The Onward Workbook, Website