Perspectives That Serve # 12 - Humor

I possess a dusty dry sense of humor that some people get and some don’t. I have the quintessential poker face that doesn’t express too much or tell you a lot about how I’m feeling. Some people say I am too serious, but that usually stops after they get to know me. I laugh pretty much daily at myself and the seemingly bizarre circumstances I find myself in. Comedies are my favorite shows and movies. I enjoy stand up comedy. I love observational comedy like Seinfeld and for me Johnny Carson will always be the late night king… but Letterman and Leno are good too. I choose friends more because they make me laugh or because we can laugh together at the same things. I choose churches because I think humor and laughter are Godly qualities. The Bible says a merry heart is like medicine. Animals especially make me laugh. Cats and dogs with their personalities crack me up. Zoo animals too, but I don’t get to the zoo as much as I should. You might guess that comic strips make me laugh. I am a newspaper fanatic who sometimes reads 3 or more a day, and I often turn to the comic section first. Children make me laugh especially when they do things that adults find particularly appalling. And I guess the adults being appalled is at least half of the laugh.

I’m learning to laugh at myself more. Not that there hasn’t always been plenty of material. I think I’m just now getting comfortable in my own skin and realizing it’s okay to laugh at my many imperfections, inconsistencies, contradictions and the like. I don’t tell jokes too well if they are more than 3 or 4 lines long. I get the story part messed up. In fact, usually by the time I’m done with a long story, the only thing that’s funny about it is how badly I screwed it up. One liners I’m good with. Recognizing my limitation is helpful.

I try to stay away from negative humor that has the potential to injure. After having said that I do have a pretty sharp needle and like to think I can dish it out and take it pretty well.

As you read this, you maybe thinking about your own humor style. We all need to laugh more. Humor is a critical mind set that we all need to cultivate daily.

Sales is a profession replete with opportunities to laugh everyday. The customers, the circumstances, and the company you work and I work for provide almost endless opportunities if we are open. I grant you, some of the humor may border on tragedy as well, but it’s funny if you choose to see it that way. Sometimes, it’s so bad, laughing is the only good option. My friend, Earl Estep may be the best I know at finding the humor in sales situations. I usually talk with him several times a week and he always has a funny spin on something.

Consider putting together a humor journal. Write down the happenings of your day. What could be funny if you chose to look at it that way? Even simple things like tripping, dropping papers in a puddle, and rejection on a cold call can be an opportunity to laugh. Human beings are proof positive God has a sense of humor.

If you are struggling to find humor this morning, YouTube has an almost unlimited supply of funny material. Here is something to get you started...