Laughing Through the Chaos: Why Humor Is My Favorite Survival Tool

Some people meditate.

Some people journal.

Some people run marathons when life gets chaotic.

Me?

I crack jokes. Usually badly timed ones. Sometimes inappropriately placed. But always—strategically delivered.

Because here’s the thing:

If I can laugh at it, I can live through it.

That’s not denial. That’s my coping mechanism.

And honestly? It works.

Chaos Is Inevitable—Laughter Is a Choice

You can’t always control your circumstances.

The job didn’t call back.

The relationship fizzled.

Your car made a weird noise that sounded expensive.

Life will throw things at you without asking first.

But you can control your response.

And while crying is absolutely valid (I support crying in Target aisles, car seats, and kitchen floors)—laughter is an underrated option.

Not because the situation is funny. But because your sanity is worth protecting.

Exhibit A: The Tuesday I Spilled Coffee on My Resume

Yes. You read that right.

Printed copies. Final draft. Ready for an interview.

Coffee said: “Nope.”

I said: “Of course this would happen.”

I laughed. Because the only other option was crying in business casual.

And in that moment, the tension broke.

I reprinted the resume. I walked into the interview slightly caffeinated and 15% humbler.

And I got the job.

Not because I had everything together—but because I showed up anyway.

Sometimes humor helps you show up when everything else tells you to stay home.

You Don’t Have to Be a Comedian to Be Funny

Humor isn’t always punchlines and stand-up routines.

Sometimes it’s:

Naming your stress "Debbie" so you can say, “Debbie’s being dramatic again.”

Responding to a missed deadline with “Plot twist!”

Looking at your laundry pile and saying, “This is a crime scene.”

It’s about perspective.

A light shift.

A wink at the absurdity of being a functioning adult in a world that rarely makes sense.

It’s not about making life a joke—it’s about giving yourself permission to not take everything so seriously.

Laughter Lowers the Pressure

When we take ourselves too seriously, everything feels like high stakes:

One awkward conversation = I’m socially broken.

One mistake at work = I’ll never succeed.

One rejection = Maybe I am unlovable.

But add a little humor?

Suddenly that awkward conversation becomes “my villain origin story.”

The work mistake becomes a funny story for your future TED Talk.

The rejection? A plot twist in your memoir titled “Oops, He Wasn’t My Soulmate Anyway.”

Humor creates breathing room.

And we all need more of that.

Life Is Hard. Humor Makes It Softer.

This doesn’t mean laughing all the time.

Or pretending everything’s fine when it’s not.

It just means softening the edges.

You can hold grief and still laugh at a bad haircut.

You can feel lost and still laugh when autocorrect changes “Let’s talk soon” to “Let’s taco spoon.”

You can have bad days and still find humor in how your cat gives you attitude like he pays rent.

Laughter doesn’t cancel the pain.

It sits beside it.

It says, “We’re still alive, somehow. Let’s make it weird.”

When in Doubt, Zoom Out

Sometimes humor comes from distance.

Right now, your life might feel like a series of unfortunate events held together by caffeine and missed alarms.

But five years from now?

You’ll tell the story about:

The suitcase that exploded in the airport

The date who brought his mom

The Zoom call where you didn’t know your mic was on during your snack break

And people will laugh.

Because distance = comedy gold.

But why wait five years?

Start collecting the material now. Life’s weird. Lean in.

Not Everything Is Funny—But Almost Everything Has a Funny Angle

There’s a difference.

You don’t have to laugh at your trauma.

But you can laugh through the moments that don’t go as planned.

Like when you try to fix your emotions by organizing your spice rack.

Or when you give yourself a pep talk that sounds suspiciously like a football coach at halftime.

You’re doing your best.

And that’s both heroic and hilarious.

Final Thoughts: Laugh Loud, Laugh Often, Laugh Anyway

Laughter won’t fix the world.

But it might save your day.

It might remind you that you’re still human.

That you’re more resilient than you thought.

That even in the chaos, you’re capable of choosing joy.

So wear the mismatched socks.

Make bad puns.

Send the meme.

Laugh when the pasta overboils—again.

And if the day feels heavy?

Let laughter lighten the load, even just a little.

Because as chaotic as life gets…

humor will always be my favorite way through.