Why Laughing at Yourself is the Only Way to Survive This Circus

Science says chronic stress and unresolved emotions can wreak havoc on your body. High blood pressure, weakened immunity, digestive issues—it’s like your feelings are secretly freelancing as saboteurs.

But here’s where it gets funny, in that dark, “am I okay?” kind of way: I’m not out here harbouring deep existential anguish. It’s mostly the stupid stuff. The local barista who was extremely rude (again), that one person who talks too loud on the phone. It’s not grand, cinematic suffering. It’s the everyday, mundane annoyances that pile up like emotional lint.

And yet, I wonder: Could my inability to let things go be quietly poisoning me?

The answer, probably, is yes. If bitterness were a vitamin, I’d be overdosing. And here’s the kicker—holding on to these things doesn’t make me feel better. It just turns me into a walking stress ball, stewing in my own overreactions like some kind of self-sabotaging soup.

So, what’s the fix? Meditation? Therapy? Journaling my feelings and then ceremoniously burning the pages? All good options, that I vouch for. But for now, I’m leaning into humour. Because if I’m going to die from stress-induced eczema, I might as well laugh about it on the way.

The thing is, life is ridiculous. People will annoy you. You’ll feel things—big, messy, complicated things. But maybe the real health hack isn’t about avoiding negative emotions altogether. Maybe it’s about learning to sit with them, let them pass, and not let them linger long enough to start charging rent in your body.

So, the next time I feel a wave of irritation creeping in, I’ll try—try—to laugh it off instead of bottling it up. After all, if I’m going to get taken out by something, I’d prefer it be the almond croissant I finally got my hands on—not my grudge about the one that got away.