Funny side up

I grew up with very funny brothers. I have a few very funny friends. My children tell funny irreverent stories. 

I can’t tell a joke or make a pun, but I am the first to laugh if you deliver a funny one-liner or a good funny story. For me, humor keeps things in perspective and creates bonds between people as they share the “joke”.

After a recent difficult conversation, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. I wanted to make sense of it and took to writing as a way to explain my thoughts to myself. Before long, I was belly laughing and lightened up considerably.

The value of humor (besides being so entertaining!) is how effective it can be in reducing tension. It provides another perspective, uncovering the irony, the nonsensical and the absurdity of life. It also helps us cope with challenging situations and the unwelcome inner dialogues we carry in our heads.

Difficult personal circumstances are not laughable. But when we find a playful way to think about our problems, we have a better chance of clearing up some of our confusions, contradictions and mixed emotions. Using humor to understand and explain various predicaments can be a masterful creative force in reducing the distress and unhappiness we naturally encounter.

When we laugh at ourselves and use humor to view a current problem it:

• Offsets our own self-righteousness, arrogance and pride
• Releases emotional and physical tension
• Gives us more flexibility in our reactions and a larger repertoire of potential interpretations, explanations and alternatives

If somewhere along the way, you lost your sense of humor, I will help you find it.

Keep you posted,

Coach Minda