the importance of humor in relationships is enormous. 'Dating' sites really underscore this point. Most ads will list as one the most important requirements - a 'sense of humor.'
Humor improves relationships, because it can break the ice, keep relationships interesting and joyful instead of becoming boring and dull.
So much of our attitude about life and our capacity to meet life's challenges depends on the quality of the relationships we have, especially our most intimate relationships that when they go sour, life tends to feel bleak.
Because the quality of the relationships has a powerful effect on physical and mental balance, as well as our sense of satisfaction in life, it's important that we keep our relationship alive and well.
The data on divorce provides compelling evidence that we are not succeeding. Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. Cohabitation couplings are far likelier to end badly and the marriages that endure , many are less than happy.
Most people know the value of a good relationship and no matter how often they have lost at love, keep on hoping.
As a result, advice on how to make relationships work fills shelves of bookstores and hours of talk-show time. Some of it is even good, the product of careful research on happy and unhappy couples.
Of all the elements that contribute to the warm atmosphere of a good relationship, there is one that seldom gets communicated into advice or therapy, which is laughter.
It's a safe bet that most of the laughs married couples get come from TV laugh tracks, not from each other. they don't originate from the relationship.
Homegrown laughter may be what couples need most. Uniquely human, laughter is first and foremost a social signal. It disappears when there is no audience, even an audience as small as one person.
Laughter establishes a positive emotional climate and a sense of connection between two people, who take pleasure in the company of each other.
Robert Provine, Ph.D, neuroscientist found that that speakers laugh even more than listeners. It's a known fact that levity can defuse anger and anxiety.
Relationship nuggets
Using laughter to resolve relationship disagreements
Laughter relieves stress, elevates mood and makes you more resilient. Laughter brings people closer together, creates intimacy, and is a powerful tool for managing conflict and reducing tension when emotions are running high.
Whether with a romantic partner, friends and family, you can learn to use humor to smooth over disagreements, lower the stress level, and communicate in a way that strengthens your relationships.
Conflict is an inevitable part of relationships. It can the form of major discord between the two of you or cause simply petty aggravations that have built up over time.
Either way, how you manage conflict can very often determine how successful your relationship will be.
Humor and laughter can help lighten things up and restore a better connection. Humor and laughter can quickly turn conflict and tension into opportunity for fun and intimacy.
It allows you to get your point across without getting your partner's defenses up or hurting their feelings.
Humor isn't a miracle cure for conflicts, but it can be an important tool to help you overcome the rough spots that afflict every relationship from time to time.
Humor, free of sarcasm or ridicule helps you: