Pandemic, racial tension, political upheaval, hurricanes, wildfires — it is a wonder anyone has found anything to laugh about in 2020. It was a year of tears and mourning. Every time we thought we had seen the worst of it, something worse would happen. We became numb to the emotional pain. Before every newscast, we would cringe like a kicked dog who has learned what to expect from a sadistic owner. The millepede known as 2020 had legs enough to kick us all. And the beatings are not over, yet.

Despite all that, we have to find some way to carry on. We are humans. We have human needs. We have emotional complexity. Life cannot just be all pain and sorrow. Into every life, a little joy must come. Captain Kirk from Star Trek 5, made an impassioned plea that we need our pain. If that is the case, how much truer is it that we need our joy? We need our laughter.

Late night talk show hosts like Stephen Colbert did us a great service by recontextualizing the events of the day in a way that could make us smile. History has taught us that even in times of war and famine, people produced great art and music. They found a way to find joy. And so must we. Her is why and how:

Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella

As the old song says, "Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy, rainy day." I'm pretty sure this period in our lives counts as a rainy day. Some days, it is hard to smile. But we must. It is good for us to smile. According to experts, smiling can actually trick our brains into being happy. Sometimes, happiness causes the smile. Other times, the smile causes happiness.

That makes this the perfect time to see the dentist about those teeth aligners worn by the famous to keep their smile unbelievably perfect. The good news is that you don't need to be famous to have a movie star smile. 2020 may be over. But the rain has not ended just yet. There has never been a better time to let your smile be your umbrella.

Visit Simpler Times

One of the great things about classic sitcoms is that you can always find them playing on TV or streaming on a service somewhere. They are like visiting old friends. While their situations are a little out of date and the comedy is a bit out of style, there is a comfort in watching a series that you have seen before. You know every line and can feel the laugh beginning even before the punchline is delivered.

One of the best of the genre was M.A.S.H. It reminded us that even during some of our darkest hours, there was always something funny to appreciate. If the news channels are more than you can handle right now, take a brief break and revisit simpler times where there was always something to laugh at and someone to laugh with.

Relieve Stress

Stress is no laughing matter. If you want to do something about it, try relieving stress through laughter. That might sound funny but it is definitely no joke. We shouldn't ignore reality. But we choose the focus of our attention.

Yes, there is a pandemic going on. However, babies are still being born. People are falling in love. Beautiful art is being made. Songs are still being sung. Kids are graduating from school. Someone in your life just got a new job. And two doors down, a family is spending some time in front of the TV laughing uproariously at some ridiculous comedy. The power to choose the focus of your attention is in your hands. Choose laughter, and a path to lower stress.

The latest news about the coronavirus is just a tap and a click away. If you really want to know what Donald Trump and President Biden are up to, you can find it with no effort. But if you want a slightly less stressful rest of your day, skip those things and work on your smile. Revisit simpler times. And don't feel guilty about having a good laugh. It really is the best medicine.