A sense of humor is one of the most positive and generally appreciated psychological characteristics. After all, those who have it highly developed are capable of finding reasons to laugh in almost any context, simply because of the ease with which they see that comic side of life. Furthermore, fortunately it is something that can be acquired throughout life.
In this article we will focus on the topic of how to develop a sense of humor and apply it to our way of seeing life.
The ease with which we develop a sense of humor depends in part on the context in which we grow up. If extreme poverty and other forms of misery reign around us, it is more difficult, although not impossible or rare.
Knowing this is important because otherwise we can blame ourselves for not smiling constantly in the face of the events that we are observing. Our mental processes do not depend only on ourselves, but are linked to the stimuli we receive.
That said, let’s look at a series of tips to develop a sense of humor applying small changes to our habits and our philosophy of life.
It may sound paradoxical, but to enhance the sense of humor, a prior step is necessary in which we distance ourselves from ourselves, adopt a neutral (or relatively neutral) perspective, and observe what is happening around us as if all that were not happening. It was part of the reality in which one lives.
What sense does that have? Well then knowing how to find humor in the most varied situations It is partly knowing how to break down reality into parts to be able to draw connections between ideas in a way that breaks the mold.
If we omit this analytical vision of reality, it is more difficult to lose the fear of not blindly following social conventions and making the occasional act or comment that exposes oneself to the risk of appearing eccentric. Which brings us to the next tip.
2. Learn to not be afraid of what they will say
Anyone who displays a good sense of humor takes the risk of not being funny and looking like a strange person or someone who says things that make no sense. It is inevitable, for example, to meet people who They will not understand a reference necessary to understand an improvised joke. To achieve this, it doesn’t hurt to work on maintaining good self-esteem and correct social skills.
Having a sense of humor and keeping it to yourself is fine, but it is better, and develops faster, if it leads us to relate to others in a different way, externalizing it.
This is possibly the most important rule to enhance your sense of humor. Know how to joke about yourself It is fundamental, because it shows commitment and consistency with a philosophy of life based on the idea that practically nothing is solemn enough not to be laughed at in certain circumstances.
4. Culture yourself
This is an aspect that many people overlook, but the quality of our sense of humor can greatly benefit if we get used to reading and learning about different areas. Because? Because it’s much easier that way create funny and interesting connections between seemingly very distant concepts each other.
It is worth remembering that one of the pillars of humor consists of breaking expectations, going beyond what is considered normal and returning having created associations that could not be expected at first but that we can understand instantly. For this reason, culture allows us to navigate a sea of knowledge in which, if we know enough, it is possible to create jokes and funny comments from the most varied ideas.
5. Don’t learn jokes
This is the seemingly easy path that some people choose, believing that it will allow them to access a sense of humor through memorization. But there is no sense of humor that is based on memorizing things: by definition, this quality is based on spontaneity and in the way we react to our context in real time.
It is clear that learning a few jokes does not hurt anyone and can serve to have a laugh, but it is advisable not to confuse this with a sense of humor, although this last element will probably influence our ability when telling one.
On the other hand, linking the sense of humor to jokes can lead us to exactly the opposite, to promoting a way of understanding what is funny based on the “technical” application of jokes, something that is very rigid and can even become boring for all.
6. Learn to differentiate when it is appropriate to use it and when it is not
There are situations in which joking is unnecessary. Not because the situation itself doesn’t have a funny component for us (if it didn’t, we wouldn’t have come up with any funny comments in the first place), but basically so as not to harm other people who are having a bad time or to which it is important that the moment be solemn. It is advisable to respect their will and allow them to have those spaces free of comments that would be inappropriate for them.
