Not Taking Yourself too Seriously: Finding Humor in Your Everyday
By Catie Frank
Have you ever struggled to believe your own affirmations? Have you ever found it a bit too difficult to get yourself to say the line “I am amazing” on the days you are struggling most? Well, what if I told you there is a way to start shifting your mindset without possessing full confidence in yourself?
Our self-talk is crucial to how we view ourselves and how we approach situations. Having positive self-talk can help us attack situations with a more enthusiastic outlook. Positive affirmations are one of the biggest ways to improve your self-talk; they feed one’s brain with positive inner thoughts, ultimately helping to reaffirm oneself. However, we underestimate how hard it is to actually believe these thoughts and be kind to ourselves. It can become tiring repeating thoughts that our own minds cannot believe.
This year, I found myself struggling to believe the affirmations that came out of my mouth. Saying “I am beautiful” on days I wasn’t feeling my best self seemed humorous to me; how was I beautiful when I didn’t honestly feel like I was? It actually made me laugh a little, which is what led me to start using humor as a means to increase my confidence. Before I continue explaining what I did, I would like to emphasize that this is just what worked for me, and I am not promoting this as a solution for everyone.
On days I was exhausted with bags under my eyes, I would jokingly comment, “I look so awake.” On days when I failed a test, I would say, “I am so smart.” And on days I felt shy and introverted, I would say the lines, “I am so outgoing and brave.” I would say these things in a comedic manner; I was simply joking with myself, but little did I know that this practice would be a stepping stone in helping to shift my mindset.
As I continued to use humor with myself, I realized I was re-affirming myself. Although I did not believe the comments at the time, I was reinforcing positive ideas into my brain. I started to feel a little prettier, a little smarter, and a little braver.
This was not an instant fix, and it was also not going to transform my mindset completely. However, it was a step to reframe it. Again, all people respond differently to humor. If you are like me and you try not to take yourself too seriously, or if you struggle with traditional self-affirmations, this method could work for you.
For those who may not use humor in their daily lives, but who find affirmations challenging to believe, I have a suggestion. Try to shift your focus when saying your positive affirmations. When you do not feel “enough,” don’t force yourself to say these exact thoughts. Compliment yourself by saying something like, “I am doing the best I can right now.” Instead of focusing on the negative things about yourself, try to shed light on the beautiful qualities.
And remember, you have the ability to reframe your thoughts. Be kind to yourself because more often than not, we forget to.
