Small Things are Big Things

“I needed that.”

That’s the most common response I get from clients, friends, family, and strangers when I make them laugh.

“Thanks. I needed that.”

It makes me a little sad.

But it also reinforces how important laughter and joy and humor are. And of the many benefits I bring to the people around me, of all the things I carry with me, of all the ways I change the atmosphere with my presence, I think exuding joy is the most important.

Not the forced, salesy kind. Not the “I need you to like me or my ego is busted” sort. Not the “I’m uncomfortable with hard, painful realities” brand.

Effortless silliness. The camaraderie of being stinky, tired humans type. The “I will never outgrow potty humor” bit. The “keep your chin up cause I’m rooting for you even though I don’t know your name” kind.

A smile or a joke or a silly email may not make a difference for long, and their impact can’t be measured in concrete terms, but I think they do change the world.

That and dank memes.