It's true: couples who laugh together have a few tricks up their sleeves, and one of them is definitely not taking anything too seriously. Case in point: There is an extremely dorky selfie (wefie?) of my boyfriend and I on the top of a craggy rock formation known as Samson's Ribs in Edinburgh. My nose is red from the cold and we both look tired, but we're grinning like a couple of mega-nerds and it's impossible to miss how much fun we're having. It's not necessarily the most flattering photo of me, but the thing is, I don't care. I remember how I felt when the snap happened, and I'm not going to get caught up in a little detail like the fact that I look semi-deranged.
Or another example: I am extremely ticklish. It's only a matter of time in a relationship before the person I'm dating figures this out. But as much as I protest (and believe me, protest I do), I actually not-so-secretly like to be tickled, because it results in uncontrollable laughter. And my tickle-laugh sounds like someone is very possibly being tickled to death, which often sets off the funny bone of anyone nearby, just because it sounds so outrageous. And I think we can all agree that laughter is infectious, so if one half of a couple is chortling up a storm, it's only a matter of time before the other follows suit. In this vein, here are six things that couples who laugh together do together.
1. You Watch Silly TV Shows (And Movies)
Have you ever watched Trailer Park Boys? If not, you're in for a treat. Finding a hilarious and/or ridiculous show to watch with your partner is a really good way of ensuring that the two of you laugh. A lot.
2. You Make Dinner Together
There's something about the ease and relaxation that comes with whipping up a meal with your boo that creates fertile ground for giggles. I don't know what it is, but just try to keep a straight face when your girlfriend accidentally dips her hair in the salad dressing (homemade, natch) or your boyfriend burns the chicken.
3. You Have Your Own Vernacular
Happy couples often have a laundry list of inside jokes, which can lead to laughs. Perhaps I particularly appreciate this because I am such a fan of words, but I always feel very pleased when a good turn of phrase is invented by my boyfriend — and often, since these expressions are usually humorous, I get a good chuckle out of it too.
4. You Aren't Afraid To Make A Fool Of Yourself
This is a biggie. Whether I'm prancercising down Bergen Street or speaking with a made-up accent, I don't mind being a huge goofball. This means I laugh at myself — and my boyfriend laughs at me. Maybe a little more than I laugh at myself. Which is fun!
5. You Can Laugh It Off When Things Go Wrong
Whether the hippies on holiday parked next to your rental car give it a good dent (thanks, guys), you miss your flight, or it's just a crap day outside, a couple in the routine of laughing at the good and the bad can find the tiny silver linings of storm clouds. So the hippies are annoying, but maybe you can dream up a funny scenario that led to the dent. Or perhaps you can take advantage of the rainstorm outside to watch a comedy indoors. Whatever the case may be, if you are laughing about it, it'll be OK.
6. You Have A Good Sense Of Humor
Perhaps this should go without saying, but couples who laugh together (and stay together) do so because they both have the ability to seek out the humor in most situations — good and bad. Sometimes you have to seek out the best parts of life, and that includes being ready to laugh at the most ridiculous of things. If you find yourself in stitches with your beau regularly, you can appreciate a good joke. Well done.
Want more of Bustle's Sex and Relationships coverage? Check out our new podcast, I Want It That Way, which delves into the difficult and downright dirty parts of a relationship, and find more on our Soundcloud page.
Images: Stocksy; WiffleGif (6)
