Believe it or not, I make myself laugh. Sometimes when I have

The words, “Believe it or not, I make myself laugh. Sometimes when I have thoughts or say some things that are funny, it just makes me laugh, and I don’t mind laughing at it before you guys do,” come from Kevin Hart, one of the great modern jesters whose humor has illuminated the hearts of millions. Yet beneath his laughter lies the ancient wisdom of self-acceptance and joy. His words, though simple, carry a message both profound and timeless: that true strength begins in the ability to laugh at oneself, to find joy not from the applause of others, but from the fountain of one’s own spirit.

In the manner of the ancients, we may say that Hart speaks as the philosopher of the heart. For laughter, when born from within, is the music of freedom. The man who can laugh at his own thoughts has found mastery over pride and fear. He depends not on the world’s approval but on his own delight. In this, Hart echoes a truth known to the Stoics and poets alike—that joy, like virtue, must come from within, not from the fleeting praise of the crowd. To make oneself laugh is to possess an inner harmony that no criticism can disturb and no failure can destroy.

Throughout history, the greatest souls have known the power of self-laughter. Consider Abraham Lincoln, who, even in the midst of war and sorrow, often told stories that made him and those around him laugh until tears ran down their faces. When others saw only darkness, he found light in humor. It was not frivolity—it was resilience. Like Hart, Lincoln laughed before others could, not because he ignored pain, but because he understood that laughter is a shield forged from understanding. When a man can see himself clearly and still laugh, he has conquered despair.

Kevin Hart’s laughter is, in truth, an act of courage. For those who have walked through hardship—as he has—know that life will test the spirit. But humor transforms suffering into wisdom. The comedian stands before the crowd as the ancient fool-hero: one who stumbles and yet turns his fall into a dance. When Hart says he laughs at his own jokes before the world does, he reveals his independence from judgment. His laughter is not arrogance, but self-joy—a celebration of the simple miracle that he can still smile despite life’s weight.

In the ancient way of teaching, we may say: the man who laughs at himself is untouchable. For no insult can wound him, no failure can break him, and no silence can steal his joy. Those who rely on the laughter of others are slaves to the fickle winds of opinion. But he who generates his own laughter has the strength of a fire that needs no fuel but faith. Hart’s humor, then, is not merely entertainment—it is a philosophy of endurance. It teaches that one may face the trials of life not with bitterness, but with mirth; not with pride, but with play.

There is also humility in Hart’s words. To laugh at oneself is to acknowledge imperfection and to embrace it. The ego fears laughter, for laughter dissolves its illusion of control. But the wise know that the ego’s death is the soul’s freedom. When you can chuckle at your own missteps, you release yourself from shame. You stop waiting for others to forgive or validate you. You become your own companion, your own source of healing. Hart’s laughter, then, is a mirror of self-knowledge—it shows that he is not above his flaws, but rather in harmony with them.

So, my child, take this lesson to heart: do not wait for others to find you funny—find yourself amusing first. Do not seek laughter as reward; create it as remedy. When you stumble, laugh. When you are misunderstood, laugh gently. Let your laughter be the sound of resilience, not of mockery. Remember that humor is not the denial of pain, but its transformation into strength. Like Kevin Hart, dare to find joy in your own thoughts, for they are the sparks of your soul’s fire.

And finally, remember this truth that the ancients would have cherished: the man who laughs at himself is the freest of all. He is the artist of his own happiness, the guardian of his own peace. His laughter is both shield and sword—it protects him from despair and cuts through the illusions of pride. So laugh before the world laughs with you. Laugh because you are alive, because you are learning, because you are flawed and still magnificent. For in that laughter, you will find the sound of the divine echoing within you—the music of a soul that refuses to be defeated.