A sense of humor helps you connect with others and get through difficult times. This ability can be developed; it does not take much time or effort. From this article, you will learn simple ways how to develop a sense of humor.
8 ways to develop a sense of humor
1. Change the tone of your voice when you say something funny
Speaking funny is an important social skill that can make people laugh. And it helps to change the tone of the voice. When we tell a joke or a funny situation in a neutral way, it seems less funny. And as soon as we place the accents correctly, even a not-so-successful joke can bring smiles to the faces of those around us.
Highlight important moments of a funny story with your voice. Avoid monotony. For example, you can move to a whisper if there is a moment of mystery or vary the volume of your voice to highlight key aspects. And don’t forget about other accents – like parody if you know how to do it or pausing before the funniest part of what you said.
2. Make jokes easier
Too complex humor may not cause laughter – people may not understand it. For example, retired parents may not understand the modern names of some things, and friends may not have an idea about the professional terms that you use when telling a funny story.
Therefore, it is important to know when this or that joke is appropriate and to think about how others will understand it. Let it be based on everything understandable and accessible things. In addition, such jokes are better remembered than the one who said them.
3. Develop self-irony
The ability to laugh at yourself is a great way to improve your sense of humor and avoid awkwardness in any life situation. To master this skill, it is useful to look at a funny situation from the outside, try to cope with the fear of looking ridiculous, and develop imagination. And also raise self-esteem and learn not to be offended by others.
4. Practice
Theory alone is not enough to improve the sense of humor. You need to practice constantly. The main thing is to choose the right time and place for this. For example, when communicating with friends or online.
But with jokes at work, you need to be more careful, but you should not abandon them completely. They can be a great way out of an unpleasant situation. For example, if you quit, then to the sympathetic exclamations of friends and colleagues, you can say: “What a pity that someone else will get an employee like me.” Or you can sadly sit down and mourn the current situation, plunging deeper into the problem. Such a phrase would sound especially comical if you were not very strong in solving work tasks or your relationship with your boss left much desired.
5. Expand your horizons
Being well-read and broad-minded allows us to joke about different things. And most importantly – do it witty and literally on the go. In addition, the more we read, the better we speak and express our thoughts, which is important for humor.
Read your favorite authors, humorous stories, or ironic poems. You can watch comedy shows, improvisations, or stand-up shows. This will help broaden your horizons and stock up on blanks for jokes. And also, see how other people use a sense of humor and learn something for yourself.
6. Work on negative thinking
To joke well, you need to be in a good mood. Then the humor will seem sincere and cause laughter from others. A joke turns out to be bad or more like sarcasm when we say it with a negative attitude. Therefore, to develop a sense of humor, you need to learn to look at the world more optimistically. For example, use these methods.
7. Hang out with people who have a good sense of humor
Firstly, communicating with such people can be a good experience and an example of the sense of humor that we strive for. From them, we can learn what we lack and learn new things.
And secondly, people with a good sense of humor do not mind laughing themselves. Therefore, you can safely joke in their company.
8. Don’t be afraid of failure
All people are different. What seems funny to one is not of particular interest to others. There is no way to know if a joke will be liked until you tell it.
But do not be upset if it does not cause good laughter or be offended that it was not understood. We all have setbacks, and it is up to us to respond to them. Take it as an experience, and don’t give up.
