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Humor has long been regarded as one of the most useful instruments for assessing the quality of any relationship. If there is laughing present, the connection is likely to be healthy. When the laughing stops, you can be sure that the relationship is on its way out. This laughter gauge may be used in any connection, including those at home, business, and play. Laughter indicates that you are having a good time, and good times indicate that things are going well. Take a peek at the relationships in your immediate vicinity. Do the couples have a lot of laughs together? Have you seen a decrease in the amount of laughing in some of your relationships?
Here are a few suggestions for ensuring that laughing is a constant presence in your relationships, so maintaining their quality and longevity. Remember that bringing humor into previously humorless relationships takes work, but the payoff will be well worth the effort. Begin by focusing on your own upbeat, fun-loving attitude. Humor and laughter are contagious, so don’t be surprised if others get the virus.
* Keep in mind that a sense of humor is acquired rather than inherited.
* Make a conscious effort to develop a sense of humor. Look for humor in unexpected places. Enjoy yourself when something amuses you. Allow yourself to be amused. After the amusing occurrence has gone, reflect on it, relish it, and laugh once again.
* Start cultivating a sense of levity and fun in your interactions. As much as possible, try to appreciate and spread comedy.
* If you don’t laugh as frequently as you used to and want to fix the problem, start mingling with amusing, fun-loving individuals and avoid the downers.
* Get in the habit of laughing at oneself. If you don’t, you’ll be handing the task up to someone else.
* Look through your newspaper for amusing articles to cut out and distribute. One night, I was scanning the classified advertisements and came across this gem: “The successful applicant should have 203 years of experience.” Clearly, the writer intended 2 or 3 years of experience. I clipped it out right away and saved it in my collection for further use.
* Inspire people to share their sense of humor. When they do, pay attention and thank them. When someone sees that you loved their amusing input, they will want to share more.
* During my full-day comedy workshops, I usually encourage participants to form groups and share the funniest event that has ever occurred to them. It’s a delight to watch the laughter that this simple exercise creates. Try it out on your buddies at some point.
* Collect cartoons and quips and post them on the refrigerator or a bulletin board. Avoid using racist, sexist, or vulgar humor. Without resorting to this, there is plenty of good, clean humor to go around. Keep in mind that there is a distinction to be made between dirty and earthy humor. Earthy comedy appeals to me. I’m not a fan of filthy content.
* As much as possible, watch comedies in movies and on television.
* Use humor in your relationships to defuse conflict. Use self-deprecating humor to lighten the mood when things grow tight. I recall having a disagreement with my wife, Carol, one evening. She uttered something completely out of character in the heat of the moment. She made a harsh remark. ” Carol, when you say things like that, you sink to my level,” I responded to her, surprised. She began to laugh, and I began to laugh as well. It didn’t take long for things to return to normal.