Rule #24: Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

Whereas Rule #19 demands that we not take things personally, this one asks us to apply the same reasoning to ourselves. Given the fact that the way we want to see ourselves can distort the picture, the simple act of laughing at ourselves can refocus things.

Years back I came across two anonymous quotes that capture it all pretty well. The first one: “Those who can’t laugh at themselves leave the job to others.”

Look at it this way: someone’s going to laugh at you. This quote suggests that it might as well be you. It also allows you the option of going it alone or joining the party.

The second quote: “Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself for he will always maintain a dependable source of amusement.”

With all there is in the world to cry about, it’s nice to know that we need not venture anywhere at all to get a few laughs.

There, don’t you feel better already?

Onward,  Malcolm Gauld