I have a tendency to take myself a bit too seriously at times especially when I get stressed, irritated, or scared. I’ve noticed that sometimes these feelings make me less effective in dealing with difficult experiences. I find that in these moments it’s easy for me to think that the weight of the world is on my shoulders (which are an unhelpful overreaction). When we take ourselves less seriously, we’re able to see the humor in situations when things don’t go the way we want them to, and steer through life a bit easier.
Laughter is actually important on many levels. Clearly, it helps shift our perspective and alter our mood, but research shows that it also has quite a positive impact on our physiology—relaxing our muscles, boosting our immune systems, releasing endorphins and decreasing stress hormones, and increasing blood flow to the heart. Here are four simple tips for easing up a bit on what you expect of yourself
1.
Don’t compare yourself
to others: How much time do you
spend comparing yourself with the people around you? I think what we do is find
all the good things in the lives of the people around us and create a composite
picture of what we think the perfect life looks like. When you think of it that way, you realize that you’re setting yourself
up for a lifetime of failure and disappointment.
The
bottom line is God has a unique plan for your life, with plenty of variety.
His plan for that person over there is completely different. It’s time we
made peace with that fact. When we do, we become less irritable, and a lot
more relaxed about who we are and what
we’ve been given.
2.
See the humor in yourself: The sign of a person
who is comfortable with who they are, where God has them, and what He has them
doing is that they can make fun of themselves. Not out of a position of
insecurity, but as a son or daughter of the Heavenly Father who entrusts their
very being into His hands. I do some stupid things sometimes (just ask my
friends).
Hopefully,
I perform fewer foolish things this year, than in the previous years. We all
make mistakes; have blind spots, and natural weaknesses. From time to time,
that’s something to laugh about. How awesome is it, when we’re living our lives so much in the knowledge that
God is with us.
He
has a plan for us. He has a future ready and waiting for us. Jesus is ready to
pick us up, dust us off, and set us back on our way when we stumble. W we’re
able to stop taking ourselves too seriously. That’s something to be truly
delighted about. So lighten up, give yourself a break, smile, and laugh a lot
3.
Stop insisting on
Your entitlements: It’s amazing the
things we get annoyed about these days. It’s amazing how busy we are, getting
stressed over the things that we think we’re entitled to. It’s almost as though
we’re expecting a perfect world.
It’s truly amazing how many burdens are lifted off
our shoulders when we stop insisting on the myriad of things that we think
we’re entitled to, and start submitting to Jesus with a good heart, in the
little and big things of life. The result, is peace, and joy.
4. Stop
worrying so much what other people think: For a good part of my life, I was so desperately
concerned about what everybody else thought of me. I wanted you to look at me
and think to yourself “I wish I was
more like him. He has it all!” How stupid is that? How many people (
even people who believe in Jesus) live out their lives as “people pleasers.
They try to make everybody happy by losing sight of
who God made them to be and what He made them to do. These days I don’t care
all that much what other people think of me. Am I perfect? No. Do I like
the next guy, need to listen to good advice? I absolutely do.
“Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of
derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease
your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that
seemingly terrible defeat... Never take yourself too seriously.” (Og Mandino)[i]
[i] Sources used:
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