i've fortunately always had a sense of humor and able to laugh at myself. this article reinforces my belief that humor works even in challenging situations.

Using Humor to Deal With Setbacks

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on July 15, 2011
A new study finds that positive reframing — looking at a thing in a different light — and perhaps laughing about life’s daily small setbacks is an effective way to feel satisfied at the end of the day.
Researchers used a diary study to review the strategies people use to deal with the small setbacks and failures that we all experience on a daily basis.
In the study, 149 students completed daily diary reports for 3 to 14 days, reporting the most bothersome failure they experienced during the day, what strategies they used to cope with the failure, and how satisfied they felt at the end of the day....
http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/07...cks/27791.html