Take a step on the carousel as we whisk you away to a world with magic, myths, and folklore. In Greek culture, comedy was highly valued, as it brought communities together and connected everyone with the language of laughter. The Greek Goddess and Muse of Comedy, Thalia, who wore a comedy mask and was one of the most jovial goddesses around, inspired many great writers to please their audiences with hilarious jokes.
You may ask yourself a question: how can I learn to be funny? While there are people who have the gift of making others laugh, others struggle to tell jokes. But even if you can’t come up with comedy show jokes, don’t fear! Just by learning to appreciate humor and incorporating cheer into your life, things can look so much brighter.
Share Humor
Thalia was a patron of comedians, so why not try to be supportive when your friends tell jokes? Don’t stress about telling jokes yourself or freak out if you can’t find some funny retort to say. You may not always be in a good mood and your friend can cheer you up with a good joke. Chatting about something funny that happened in class or a really silly thing your dog did can be enough to get the humor rolling. And, please…when in doubt, don’t tell knock, knock jokes. Humor is around us, so some situations can be funny if viewed from the right angle. Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself! We should all strive to share humor by letting others tell jokes and making the best out of everyday things that happen.
Watch Funny Things:
There’s nothing to ease nerves like an awesome comedy. Stream some funny YouTuber reaction videos or watch your *favorite* comedy and ask your friends for some recommendations of funny movies they enjoy. Comedy is best done SOCIALLY, so invite your family and/or friends to laugh out loud with you. Sharing some things that really amuse you can be even better than telling a joke yourself. Put on that video and laugh your heart out! While TV entertainment can be super funny, reading books can be just as good. Pick up a humorous book like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or something else you find funny. That way, you can meet your reading goals while having fun.
Realize that you can’t find humor in *everything*
Our lives have good and bad days, funny and sad moments. Thalia is shown wearing a joker mask, while the muse of drama named Melpomene is shown wearing a ‘tragedy mask’ in theater. Even in your favorite comedy movies, there aren't nonstop jokes. Similarly, in life, you’re not always going to be joking about something, nor should you! Think about the comedians that try *way* too hard at being funny and, therefore, they are eventually look desperate to joke. Thalia is always accompanied by her polar opposite, proving that even storytellers needed contrast between the two muses to create great writing.
As you take a step off the carousel, perhaps you’re evaluating whether you’re *actually* funny. Remember, everyone has a different type of humor. If some people don't get your jokes, that's quite alright. Being bitter about other people 'not understanding your great humor' isn't the way to bring humor into your life. Humor is more than a few funny words or a great skit. It’s about adding more joy to your life, as well as others. With Thalia's advice, we can do just that!
Main image credit: Little Moon Dance (via Pinterest)
