by Jen Romanowski
Summer has long been a season of celebration. The warmth of the sun, longer days, and time spent outdoors seem to coax out a lighter, freer version of ourselves. Laughter echoes more easily. Smiles linger longer. We gather, play, and relax. And for those walking the path of recovery from addiction, trauma, or even depression, this season offers more than just sunshine; it offers an invitation.
What if joy itself could be part of your healing?
What if laughter, not as a distraction but as a form of medicine, could help shift your energy, regulate your nervous system, and support you in creating a new way of life?
Science and spirituality both say it can. Let’s explore how.
The Forgotten Healer: Why Laughter Matters in Recovery
We often hear that “laughter is the best medicine,” but this isn’t just a catchy phrase. It’s backed by research. A 2003 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that watching a funny video could reduce the body’s stress hormones, like cortisol, by up to 39%. These hormones are often elevated in people coping with trauma, anxiety, and addiction.
Laughter also boosts endorphins (the body’s natural feel-good chemicals), improves immune function, and even increases pain tolerance. In fact, a study from Oxford University showed that group laughter increased pain thresholds by about 10%.
But beyond the science, laughter does something even more profound: it lifts your vibration. It brings you back to your body and into the present moment. In spiritual terms, it reconnects you with the soul’s natural state, lightness.
Reclaiming Joy: The Summer Invitation
The sun doesn’t discriminate; its warmth reaches everyone. Whether you grew up with carefree summer memories or not, this season gives you the chance to create them now.
If your childhood lacked laughter, if addiction has stolen your sense of play, this summer is an opportunity to reclaim joy. You don’t need a perfect past to create a magical present.
Joy is not just for the healed; it is part of the healing process.
Let the light remind you that you were never meant to suffer your way through recovery. Yes, healing is hard work, but it can also be full of beauty, awe, and even silliness.
Addiction Can’t Survive in the Light
Addiction thrives in darkness. It feeds on secrecy, shame, and self-isolation. Laughter, by contrast, lives in the light. It creates connection. It says, “I’m here. I feel. I’m alive.”
That doesn’t mean laughter replaces therapy, support groups, or spiritual practice—it supports them. It works like a ray of sunlight cutting through the fog. Even a single moment of laughter can remind you what you’re healing for.
Joy doesn’t mean you’re not taking your healing seriously. It means you’re inviting your whole self to participate, not just your pain but your potential.
5 Ways to Invite More Laughter Into Your Life This Summer
Laughter might not feel natural at first, especially if your nervous system is still coming out of survival mode. That’s okay. You can cultivate laughter the way you would cultivate a garden: with care, curiosity, and a little sunlight.
Here are five simple ways to bring more joy into your summer:
- Watch or listen to something that makes you laugh out loud
Revisit a favorite comedy, stand-up special, or podcast that genuinely cracks you up. Not the kind of polite chuckle—we’re talking real, belly laughter. - Play with people (or pets) who make you feel silly
Whether it’s kids, dogs, or your funniest friend, seek out those who remind you how to let loose. Play is sacred. Let it be part of your spiritual practice. - Try laughter yoga
This practice combines intentional laughter with deep breathing. It might feel awkward at first, but the body doesn’t know the difference between forced and spontaneous laughter—it responds the same way. - Start a “joy journal.”
Each day, write down one thing that made you smile or laugh. Collect jokes, funny memories, and lighthearted moments. Over time, you’re training your brain to notice joy. - Be the spark for someone else
Surprise a friend with something playful—a silly dance, a handwritten card, or an inside joke. Laughter shared is laughter multiplied.
Laughter Isn’t a Distraction, It’s Devotion
If you’ve been carrying the weight of healing like a burden, let this article be your permission slip to laugh.
You are allowed to experience joy, even in the midst of grief. You are allowed to laugh, even if you’re still in the process of letting go. In fact, it might be one of the bravest things you do.
Think of laughter as sacred energy—a divine spark that helps realign you with the part of yourself that addiction tried to bury. When you laugh, even briefly, you remember who you are.
Let the Light In
You weren’t meant to live in shadow. This summer, let the sun warm not just your skin but your spirit. Seek joy. Chase laughter. Invite light into every corner of your recovery.
Healing doesn’t only come from digging deep—sometimes, it comes from rising up. And joy, dear one, is one of your most powerful tools.
Jen Romanowski, a.k.a. Sunshine Witchski, The Pink-haired Sober Witch—has been practicing witchcraft and other esoteric practices for over 25 years. She is a spiritual advisor, recovery mentor, and Creatrix of Illuminate: The Unschool of Sober Witchcraft. Visit www.illuminateunschool.com or text 313-595-4148 for guidance in your recovery. Or check out Amazon for her newly published book, Sober Witch Life: A Magickal Guide to Recovery.
