Comedy Cure: Experience the Healing Power of Humor by developing your sense of humor through the use of “Humor Guides”.
I’ve written a lot on this blog about the positive effects humor has on your health and well-being. And last week I began to try to give more suggestions on how to bring more laughter into your life. As I had mentioned previously, it isn’t always easy to find humor in your everyday munday activites and it is especially difficult to find humor in the situations where we need it most — when we are under stress. Here is another tool you can use to try to cultivate a more lighthearted approach to living.
Step 1: Get out a piece of paper and with a pen or pencil divide the paper into three columns.
Step 2: Now we’re going to make headings for each column. At the top of the first column write “Family”. At the top of the second write “Friends”. At the top of the third write “Other”
Step 3: Now here’s the fun brainstorming part. Under the “Family” column start writing down a list of family members who make you laugh, who have a great sense of humor, or who always seem to take things with a smile. They could be Uncle Al who’s but crack is always showing or it could be Grandma Sally who always seems to laugh at Uncle Al, or it could be cousin Vinny who once got caught taking a dump in a trash can outside his apartment when he was 10.
Step 4: Now do the same thing in the column titled “Friends”. List all the friends you can think of that are pranksters that always tell crude jokes, that make you laugh when you’re down, or that you have a funny memory about.
Step 5: Similarly, in the column titled “Other”, list as many comedians, television characters, public figures, etc… that always make you laugh or who seem to always take things in stride. You might list your favorite stand-up comedian or you may list Tattoo from Fantasy Island. Maybe you list Happy Gilmore or maybe you might jot down a Golden Girl or Joey from Friends. Heck you may even want to write down your Mayor, a grocery store clerk, the quirky waitress at Denny’s. It’s all up to you.
Step 6: Now, with this massive list I want you to circle just two names from each column. Circle two whose name alone causes you to smile or to chuckle. Mix them up a bit. Make sure they all make you smile or chuckle for different types of reasons.
Step 7: Either tear a small strip of paper, grab a small piece somewhere, or find half an index card and write these six names down on it. These are now your “Humor Guides”. Place the names in your wallet so that they are always with you.
As you go along your day you now have a team of Humor Guides whose sole purpose is to make you smile and laugh. If its tough to get out of bed in the morning, imaginee your Humor Guides there to help you out, either with funny words of wisdom or with a wise crack about how lazy you are. If you find yourself upset at the traffic situation your Humor Guides are there with you to share your anguish and to make light of the situation. If you’re giving an important corporate presentation remember you always have your Humor Guides there in the audience to help you relax. Imagining Uncle Al in his underwear isn’t necessary, but do whatever works for you.
Often we approach life as if we are all alone. It certainly does feel that way somtimes. But that really isn’t true. Whether somebody is physically by your side or not is irrelevant. You can’t touch somebody’s humor (crude joke averted here), but you can bring it with you wherever you go.
This technique may sound silly…
but that’s exactly the point.
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