Be Silly!
What does it take to allow yourself to be silly? Some people are natural humorists; they have the capacity to see something funny in all things, starting with themselves. Many people have been making others laugh from the time they entered the world. Recall the kids you went to school with who made everybody laugh. It was natural for them, but for the rest of us, being silly or lightening up is a learned skill.
When we lighten up, we see the world through new eyes. Mistakes aren’t the end of our world and problems become more manageable. When we learn to delight in all that God has created, we become full of joyous expectation of the good that awaits us. Also, we don’t age as quickly when we allow our inner child to come out and play.
So how can we learn to lighten up and allow ourselves become more silly? In talking to some funny people that I personally know and by using my own learning experiences as an example, here are some suggestions I’ve come up with:
- Be willing to look silly. If you’re really willing, it’ll happen. However, you must be willing to do the work. Willingness without action is fantasy.
- Identify the beliefs that stand in your way. Some of my unhealthier beliefs were that laughter distracts the audience from the message and that when people laugh they don’t have to think. That all humor is self-depreciating and offensive, and that if you’re funny you’re not professional and won’t taken seriously.
- Analyze events from your past. Recall a mistake you made in public and how you handled it. How would you handle it differently if the situation occurred again?
- Practice making light of yourself. Inject a little humor when telling your story.
- Work through any shame that is in the way. The truth is, until I cleaned up my past, I wasn’t able to make light of it.
- Don’t take yourself too seriously. Life is fun, interesting, challenging, and waiting to happen.
Today, give yourself permission to get silly. Silliness is an experience of joy, and if we are really feeling joyful, then it’s to our advantage to show it in everything we do.
I’m Francine Ward and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share them with me through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.
