About this quote

Feeling wrecked and stuck is normal. You can steer that moment. Laughing can act like a quick reset; it loosens your chest, gets air in, and clears a little headspace. Try this: name one thing that hurts, breathe in for two counts, breathe out for two, then let a real laugh or a ridiculous noise out. It won't make the problem vanish, but it often makes the next step easier to take.

When to use it

• At the office after my big client stormed out of the meeting, I whispered to my teammate, 'Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.'
• When my partner ended things in the kitchen, I made a stupid joke and thought, 'Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now,' so I wouldn't fall apart.
• After bombing my final exam and feeling like I'd ruined the semester, I laughed out loud in the library and told myself, 'Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.'
• At the finish line after a race where everything went wrong and my legs cramped, I forced a laugh and muttered, 'Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.'