Tips to use humor:
- Expose yourself to humor. Watch funny films, read cartoons, look for good jokes.
- Keep a humor journal. If you keep a journal, begin to add humorous incidents or unintentional amusing remarks. Report the wonderfully funny things young children say or do.
- Tell a joke. Being able to tell a joke (and remember the punch line) takes a little bit of practice. If you hear a good joke, write it down and tell five other people as soon as possible so it imprints in your mind.
- Laugh at yourself. Allow yourself to make mistakes and see them as funny rather than the end of the world. People who are able to laugh at themselves have a much stronger sense of self-worth and higher self-esteem than those who cannot.
- When you look in the mirror try to compose 10 funny faces. Buy some Groucho glasses and ask yourself, “How serious is this?”
- Hang out with happy people. Enjoy others who do see the positive side of life. Let their optimism rub off on you!
- Put on a happy face. Research has shown that just changing your facial muscles can set up different physiological changes. In other words, if you look happier, you might actually start to feel happier. So if you can’t laugh-smile, and if you can’t smile-fake it!