Hello there my hilarious friends, happy you’re tapping in today to see if we can learn how to become a little funnier, and maybe even why we would want to try to be funnier. I honestly would have never thought of this question, so I’m incredibly glad that you asked it. Let’s start with the benefits first, and why we would even want to put in some time and effort to become better at this skill, and it is a skill, even though you may known someone whom you just feel is ‘naturally’ funny, and maybe even some people like me, who are just simply ‘funny looking.’ Either way, I want to emphasize that becoming funnier is something that you can practice, instead of just being a person that is funny, or not funny. Remember to always keep that growth mindset alive and well in your mind, and to kick that rigid, stale, and discouraging fixed mindset to the curb… you know what I’m talking about right… that mindset that says that, “i’m just not a funny person, or humorous…” well, i’m here to call baloney on that, and to cheer you on, as you look to add some humor, and some comedic skill to your life… let’s goo!
So what are some of the benefits to being funny and adding some humor to your life?
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Well, being funny is actually regarded as one of the most desirable traits in friendships and also with your love interests. I think this is because humor can create a sense of connection, laughter, and positivity. People who are funny are seen as friendlier, more approachable, confident, and even a little more socially skilled, which can make them more attractive to others.
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Another huge benefit of humor and being funny, is that it’s a powerful stress reducer, that at the same time can also increase your happiness, and ease your anxiety: Laughing, especially with others, is a happiness mechanism, and my friends, happiness, and enjoyment, wonderful tools to help you shift your internal gears if you’re feeling a bit low, discouraged, sad, or anxious.
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Being funny can help you to communicate better: humor is a great conversation starter, and great way to keep conversation fun, light, and interesting. As you become funnier, you’ll also find that humor can help you to relieve tension, or ease awkward situations.
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My favorite benefit for you deciding to practice becoming funnier, is that your brain is going to begin looking for the ‘funny’ in life, in circumstances, and in events. Remember that when you aim that powerful brain mechanism anywhere, your brain turns into a ‘heat’ seeking missile, and your brain is going to go to work, effortlessly btw, to discover and notice situations that are funny, and you’ll even be able to reinterpret events in your life, so that you can see them with a lens of humor. It’s a wonderful realization to know that this life is a comedy, and not a tragedy.
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Being funny is a life, school, and work benefit: Being funny can be an asset in many careers, especially those that involve public speaking, sales, marketing, or entertainment.
Ok, enough of these benefits monkey boy, let’s talk about some steps that you can begin to take immediately to improve and practice this fun and worthwhile skill.
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Watch, listen, and learn from the best. I mean this is such a basic step in life right?... Watch, listen, and learn from people who are the best at this. There are so many great comedians out there, that you can listen to on spotify, or watch on TV, or that you can read and learn from. Make this part of your weekly routine. As you watch and listen, you’ll quickly begin to find ways to incorporate some of their humor to your own personal life, and then to share it with others. There’s nothing better than laughing with people. Can I make 2 small suggestions here? (1) Pick clean humor. You can be extremely funny, without having to add swear words, or jokes that are racist, demeaning, or inappropriate. Artists like Michael Reagan, Jim Gaffigan, and Nate Bargatze are great examples of this. Watch their expressions, their timing, and their delivery, and learn from the best.
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Learn some personal jokes, and practice, practice, practice telling them. This is how everyone gets started. I remember having some really good jokes that I memorized, and that I could slide into conversations, or whenever there was a dull moment that could be infused with a little humor. I noticed, and you will too by the way, that the more I told those jokes, the better I got at delivering them in funny ways. I would sometimes even practice telling them with funny accents; my timing would improve; and so would my ability to remember them. Pick 2, 3, or 20, and work on adding some jokes to your social toolbox. You may even create a small note, on your “notes” app on your phone, and keep adding jokes that you really like.
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Learn some witty sayings or some fun puns that you can sprinkle throughout conversations at school, with your friends, family, or really anywhere… here are some examples for you:
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Why did the math book look so sad? Because it had too many problems.
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What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta!
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What did the grape say when it got stepped on? Nothing, it just let out a little wine.
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Haha, well, telling you these actually brings me to the next tip…
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Learn to laugh at yourself. This is actually a really critical element to humor. As you begin to listen to comedians, you’ll find that they often laugh and make fun of themselves. You are comedy my friend, not a tragedy, and comedians are excellent at finding ways to interpret life in a funny way. So instead of taking yourself and your personal circumstances, be creative and gutsy enough to find humor in your life. I’m not trying to minimize your personal circumstances my friend, I’m actually just trying to enhance them. I tell you this, because sometimes you’re going to tell really lame puns like I just shared with you, and people are going to give you the “... wow, did you really just say that?” look, and when they do, instead of falling for that trap, and giving up, or beating yourself up about it, laugh, and deliver your next pun, here are some silly examples:
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"Tough crowd, tough crowd…"
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"Well, I guess my jokes just aren't punny enough."
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"Geez, I thought that one was a real knee-slapper."
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"Don't stress, I have a whole repertoire of terrible puns."
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"Well, at least I'm having fun!"
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And my last suggestion, practice your jokes and deliver them with confidence! If you don’t believe your jokes are funny, people won’t either. Watch your tone, and vary between being serious and silly. Remember to pause at the right times, and deliver with the emotion that you are trying to create. Use your favorite expressions and body language to enhance the joke, along with some funny vocal elements.
So, a quick summary for you. Start watching, listening, and learning comedy from really funny people. Keep it clean and don’t demean people. Start learning and memorizing some funny jokes, witty phrases, and lots and lots of puns that you can fill your comedy bag with, and be ready to pull those out at any moment. Learn to laugh at yourself, and bring it with confidence.
Alright, that’s all for now, but stay tunned for some more punder-full moments… ok, ok, ok, but I really got get to my next pun-gagement… Its only getting worse isn’t it, well, as always, it’s been totally pun-tastic being here with you. Be better than me, ok? Start today and enjoy!