The Very Serious Benefits of Being Silly
It’s time to revisit all the dumb things we found hilarious as kids
Over the past year, when I couldn’t do the things that normally brought me joy — travel, go to concerts, chat over tea with my best friend — I tried to cope in all the expected ways. I read, exercised, and learned some new skills. I forced myself to see the pandemic as an opportunity for gentle self-growth. But as the weeks stretched into months of being trapped at home, none of it was enough. I felt dull, like a robot on autopilot.
When was the last time I laughed until it hurt to breathe? I asked myself. It was way before the pandemic started. Probably was when I was a child. That’s when it struck me: I had a fun life before the days of Netflix binges and doomscrolling and I knew I could get back to it again. I just needed to up my goofiness to save me from myself. It was time, I decided, to bring out the kid in me.
There’s been little research on playfulness in adults. But recent studies led by René Proyer, a psychologist at the University of Zurich, found that playful people — those who are spontaneous, creative, outgoing, fun-loving, and…
