The Cure for That Empty Feeling Might Be Dumber Than You Think
We’ve all been there. That vague sense of emptiness. Not quite sad, not fully lost, just… hollow.
Like something essential is missing, but you can’t quite name it. The usual remedies come to mind: mindfulness, journaling, maybe meditation, or a weekend escape to Banff!
But what if the antidote is less profound and more absurd? What if the thing that breaks the fog isn’t a revelation, but dancing like a Muppet in mismatched socks to a 2000s throwback playlist?
Turns out, silliness isn’t just for kids. It’s therapy in disguise.
Laughing When It Makes No Sense
There’s an old quote by the Roman poet Horace:
“Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment.”
We often believe joy has to be earned after productivity, healing, or progress.
But neuroscience says otherwise. Even pretending to laugh or smile triggers endorphins, reduces cortisol, and boosts mood¹. Acting happy even in a silly way can literally make you feel happier.
Picture this:
It’s a rainy evening in Toronto.
You’ve had a brutal day.
So you grab a spatula as a mic and lip-sync your heart out to Destiny’s Child in your kitchen.
You miss a beat.
You laugh.
The tension eases.
Suddenly, that hollow feeling isn’t so loud.
A Dino Suit and a Belly Laugh
One young woman, recently relocated to Austin, shared how numb she felt disconnected, lonely, and stuck.
One random Tuesday, on a whim, she pulled out an old inflatable dinosaur costume from Halloween and video-called her best friend.
They laughed uncontrollably for an hour.
“It sounds ridiculous,” she said later, “but goofing off like that cracked something open. I felt connected again.”
There was no grand breakthrough.
Just laughter.
And somehow, that mattered more than a self-help book ever could.
Silly Little Cures (That Aren’t So Silly)
When emptiness creeps in, try one of these:
Dance terribly on purpose. Air guitar. High kicks. Sock slides on hardwood.
Narrate your life like a dramatic voiceover. Especially while cleaning.
Send your friend the ugliest selfie you can manage. Crossed eyes are encouraged.
Swing on a playground. Alone. Loudly. Extra points if it’s after dark.
Host your own “Chicago improv night.” One-person show. Kitchen stage. Go.
Blow bubbles at strangers from your balcony. Or better yet cartwheel at sunset on an LA beach.
These are not distractions.
They’re interruptions and sometimes that’s exactly what your mind needs.
Laughter Isn’t Escapism, It’s Medicine
Even the medical community gets it.
Clown therapy in hospitals. Laughter yoga classes.
All based on the science: laughter reduces stress hormones, boosts immunity, and increases pain tolerance².
One study found that playful adults experience lower stress levels and higher life satisfaction³.
Even forced laughter yes, fake giggles can lead to real mood improvement. It’s wild, but it works.
And if you still think play is immature?
George Bernard Shaw put it best:
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”⁴
Goofy Isn’t Weak It’s Brave
In a world of curated feeds and polished personas, being ridiculous takes guts.
We hide behind productivity and perfection. We silence our weird.
But being goofy cracks that mask.
It lets light through.
You’re not broken for needing to laugh at a dumb meme.
You’re human.
You’re not failing when you choose joy over control.
You’re healing.
We grow up thinking we must outgrow play.
But maybe play is what grows us back into ourselves.
Here’s Your Permission Slip
Next time you feel that gray fog?
Don’t fix it.
Fracture it with a song, a spin, or a wildly off-key shower solo.
Because maybe what you’re missing isn’t some deep answer.
Maybe it’s a moment of lightness. A reminder that you’re allowed to be alive and laughing right now.
Give yourself the gift of being gloriously silly.
It might just fill that empty space with something real.
Sources
Inc Magazine – “How Smiling Changes Your Brain”
Pacifica Mental Health – “Benefits of Laughter for Mental Health”
PACMH.org – Adult Playfulness and Stress Reduction Study
George Bernard Shaw – Collected Works