Why so serious? The phrase popularized by the Joker character must be familiar to your ears. Are you one of those people who take life too seriously? Is that seriousness preventing you from being more relaxed and cheerful? People who are too serious have a natural instinct to take things critically. As a result, they tend to always want to correct others or look for negativity in all situations. Be careful, these habits will actually waste your energy and can spoil the mood of others. But don't worry, there are always ways to bring back fun and improve your quality of life!
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Part 1 of 2: Letting Go of Expectations and Negatives
Step 1. Let go of your expectations of yourself and others
The inability to live life cheerfully sometimes has its roots in your expectations of yourself or of others. Eliminating all “needs”, “wants”, “musts” will not only help you to be more cheerful in life, but also be able to minimize the negative things that affect your seriousness.
Learn to throw away the concept of perfection. Nothing is perfect in this world; in fact, imperfections will actually add color to your life. Learning to let go of the expectation of perfection is very effective at calming you down, as well as focusing your thoughts on the positivity in each person or situation you come across
Step 2. Avoid stressful situations
Stress is one of the most influential factors in your happiness. Avoiding stressful situations can help reduce your tension, foster positivity, and make you happier in life.
- If possible, leave the situation that stresses you out. If that's not possible, take a deep breath and don't react immediately; this method will save you from unnecessary tension or irritation.
- Always take time to relax. For example, taking a leisurely 10-minute walk can relieve stress and improve your mood.
Step 3. Release your tension
Tension can be at the root of your seriousness and rigidity. Activities such as exercising or massaging your body can help release tension, relax your body, and increase your sense of well-being.
- Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy life. In addition, regular exercise is also effective in releasing tension which is the main trigger of your stress.
- Exercising can produce endorphins that will improve your mood and make you sleep better; both play an important role in relieving your tension.
- A massage can calm you down as well as relieve any physical tension that may be at the root of your seriousness.
- Even the simple act of taking a warm bath can release your tension, especially if you've just had a tiring day that has made you feel in a bad mood.
Step 4. Limit the negativity in your life
Negative thoughts can be transformed into negative attitudes and behaviors. Limiting the negativity in your life can help you live a happier life, as well as create more positivity in your environment.
- Whenever a bad situation happens to you, try to quickly forget about it and try to imagine the positive things you want to happen.
- If someone makes a negative comment on you, accept the comment and quickly forget about it. Lamenting negativity will only increase the tension and seriousness of your life.
Step 5. Forgive yourself and others
Holding a grudge and constantly bemoaning your imperfections will only amplify your negativity and seriousness. Forgiving yourself and others can reduce the tension in your life, so you can focus more on the positivity in yourself and in others. Indirectly, this will help you to live life more cheerfully.
A willingness to forgive will replace negativity with a more positive attitude to life. In addition, the willingness to forgive can reduce stress and increase the peace and tranquility of your life
Step 6. Get rid of – or limit interactions with – negative people
Remember, the way you live and your point of view is greatly influenced by the people around you. Eliminating or limiting interactions with people who are negative or overly serious, and then replacing them with fun and funny people can help increase the joy of your life.
If you can't get rid of these people completely (or if you don't want to hurt them), try limiting your interactions with them. You can also counter their negative behavior and outlook on life by looking for positive things to learn from their behavior or outlook. That way, you will be less affected by their negativity
Step 7. Be willing to bend the rules
Rules are there to help direct your life according to the parameters prevailing in society. But the fact is, being too strict with the rules will actually make you stiff and stubborn. Knowing when it's time to bend the rules can help brighten your life, and possibly develop your relationships with other people.
- Turning is not the same as breaking. For example, you may occasionally take the wrong route when you are going to park your car in the basement of a mall, but you may not park your car in a special disabled area if you are not a person with a disability.
- In the office, you may occasionally eat longer or shorter lunches than the time allowed.
Step 8. Keep developing yourself
Every now and then, you may come across situations that prompt you to revert to being too rigid or too serious. Don't worry, the situation is normal and completely acceptable. Learn not to worry too much about it and move on with life. By returning your focus to yourself and the positivity around you, you will undoubtedly be able to get yourself back on track.
Part 2 of 2: Finding Humor and Positivity
Step 1. Find humor and positivity in all situations
No matter how difficult a situation is, it is filled with humor and positivity (though it is often very implicit). The ability to be aware of and laugh at powerful situations makes you live a happier life in the future.
- Constantly having negative thoughts and attitudes to life can leave you exhausted; besides, your level of seriousness will increase because of it. Try to look for the positive in every person or situation you come across; surely, your life will feel happier after that.
- Several studies have found that a positive life attitude contributes significantly to a person's success and happiness.
- For example, if you fall and hurt your knee, don't focus on the injured knee or the torn shirt, but learn to laugh at the humor of the situation or your carelessness.
Step 2. Laugh at yourself
Having the ability to laugh at yourself is a way of finding humor in all situations. This ability will help you – and those around you – to be more calm and cheerful in life.
Being able to see the cuteness in your imperfections is an important factor that can help you accept yourself as you are, as well as show others that you don't take things too seriously
Step 3. Surround yourself with positive, supportive, and humorous people
They can help you develop a positive life attitude and train you to be more cheerful in life. Surrounding yourself with positive people can also help you fight the negativity around you.
- They don't always have to agree with you. But at the very least, they should be able to be honest with you without sounding judgmental.
- There are many advantages to having positive friends and colleagues: they want the best for you, they can help you feel more confident, and they can turn you into a less serious person.
Step 4. Expose yourself to funny and fun situations
Medical research even supports the truth of the old adage, “laughter is medicine”. Surrounding yourself with humorous people or television shows can relieve your stress, as well as train you to be a more relaxed person in life.
Any type of joke is good for consumption (except jokes that harm others). Try watching a movie or television series, reading a book, or reading comics that can make you laugh. They all give you the opportunity to laugh, relax, and be more cheerful
Step 5. Schedule a daily meditation
Meditation is a very powerful method to increase your focus and make you more relaxed. Take a few minutes per day to meditate, and feel the benefits for your ability to concentrate and calm. Observe also the effect on your mood.
- For thousands of years, humans have known various forms of meditation that serve various purposes; starting from finding inner enlightenment, calming yourself down, to practicing concentration.
- Meditation forces you to completely detach yourself from the world and focus on your inner needs. These “estranged moments” will train you to be more focused and relaxed.
- Start by meditating for 5-10 minutes every day. Once your body and mind get used to it, increase the frequency of your meditation.
Step 6. Sit up straight and close your eyes
Correct posture is an important factor in meditation. Sitting in an upright position helps circulate oxygen and blood throughout your body, thereby increasing your brain's ability to concentrate. Closing your eyes is also effective in eliminating the inevitable distractions that surround you.
- Find a place that is quiet, comfortable, and free of distractions. The less distractions around you, the easier it will be for you to focus on your breathing pattern and let go of any distracting thoughts.
- Breathe naturally and calmly as possible. No need to control your breath; let the air flow in and out in a reasonable rhythm. One powerful technique used to practice concentration is to focus solely on your breathing pattern. How to? Try saying "inhale" as you inhale and "release" as you exhale.
- If you lose concentration while meditating, take a deep breath and refocus your inner energy. Loss of concentration while meditating is very common, especially for those of you who are learning to develop the ability to meditate.
Step 7. Do some light yoga practice
Light yoga movements can help relax your stiff muscles, which will automatically make you calmer. Performing simple movements such as downward facing dog in 10 breaths can also make you calmer and more focused, which will automatically improve your mood.
- Try doing light yoga moves that can relax your muscles and calm your whole body. Restorative yoga and yin yoga are specifically for those of you who want to improve muscle health, stretch stiff muscles, and relax the body.
- If you don't have time to complete a yoga session, do at least a downward facing dog in 10 breaths. Adho mukha savasana (Sanskrit term for downward facing dog) is an important basic yoga pose that has a dual function: to calm you down, and to stretch and strengthen your body's muscles. Do this exercise regularly; surely you can live life more cheerfully afterwards.
- Consult a doctor before you start practicing yoga; make sure your condition is prime enough to do so.
