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Developing Your Humor Muscle
by Martin Brossman
Many of us believe funny people are born that way. My
experience tells me this is just not true. Many people have an
underdeveloped humor muscle, unable to crack a joke or laugh.
The humor muscle runs from the thymus in the middle of the
upper chest to about two inches below the belly button. This
muscle called the "Ridiculous Abdominus” actually grows
stronger every time we use it. When we become dependent on
being outwardly entertained, this muscle may weaken.
The Ridiculous Abdominus, when healthy, allows us to generate
humor in almost any situation. It is toned by practicing these
primary behaviors:
• Believe without evidence that you have the ability to
develop your sense of humor. I invite you to become suspicious
of any belief that limits humor, such as, "I am just not
funny". You might ask yourself the question, "As a humorous
person, what action is appropriate to take now?"
• Exercise your humor muscle to avoid its atrophy. Stretch
your humor muscle by looking for what’s funny in everyday
life.
• Become the author or artist of humor in your environment.
Create exercises that cultivate your unique sense of humor.
For example make up funny bumper stickers to match the
behaviors of other drivers around you (e.g. “Be anything but
yourself”). Think in terms creating humor versus humor
happening to you.
• Remember boredom, frustration, and impatience are reminders
to exercise your humor muscle.
When I was young, I took my humor muscle for granted. Later I
realized I needed humor exercises to keep it in shape. Shortly
after graduation from college I became a manager of a Radio
Shack. I discovered my store attracted more shoplifters than
any Radio Shack in the whole area. I soon learned professional
shoplifters view an arrest as an operating expense, an
expected part of their job.
Frustrated by this conflict and feeling despair, I realized
this situation was an opportunity to exercise my humor muscle.
What if I could get shoplifters to lose interest in my store
and entertain myself at the same time? Maybe I could draw on
the silly Radio Shack sales videos since I had laughed at them
throughout my training. The next day I noticed someone was
constantly keeping track of me. They knew where I was at all
times. This action is a sure tip off a customer is shopping
for free products. I walked up to the suspect and started
aggressively suggesting product after product, putting them
into his hands. His arms were filling fast with Radio Shack
stuff - like the fuzzy cat with an AM radio stuffed inside of
it. I slipped cheap oversized headphones with volume controls
on his head and slowly increased the volume. He desperately
looked around for some way to empty his arms. He blurted out
that he remembered he had to be somewhere else quickly. He
unloaded his arms, with no help from me and was out the door
in a flash. Mission accomplished. Shoplifter removed from the
premises. Humor muscle exercised. I was highly entertained!
With the next free shopper, I used herbicides. I bit into a
garlic clove prior to approaching my shoplifter. With a manic
smile and non-stop babble of suggestive sales mumbo jumbo I
slowly invaded his personal space, backing him into a corner
of the store. Guess what, he also remembered he needed to be
somewhere too. When he left, I could not stop laughing.
Another incident involved a shoplifter at the car stereo
display who was reaching behind the stereos to unscrew the
bolts holding them in the display. I called out to him from
the back of the store; "I am going to work in back for awhile.
If you need help just call me. Oh, by the way, be careful of
the stereo rack; I’ve had problems with shoplifters, so I
wired the back to 220 volts." From across the store I could
see the shoplifter jerk suddenly. He pulled his hands out of
the tight confines of the car stereo rack. I told him to come
back any time. He left the store holding his hand, which was
probably scraped or bruised by his rapid movement. In
reflection, I thought how I lied about the stereo rack being
wired to 220 Volts. I felt I had pushed my ethical boundaries
a bit far for protecting the stock and wouldn’t generally
recommend this today. You have to be careful about using humor
to justify actions.
Some of my humor exercises were subtler. I enjoyed asking
shoplifters, in a low voice, to help me look out for
shoplifters describing in detail their common behavior so he
could spot them easily. This exercise left the shoplifter with
an uncomfortable expression on his face. He was exposed like
the emperor with no clothes. After this "psychological double
bind", he nervously and quietly left the store forever.
Now you have more knowledge about the “Riduculous Abdominus”
muscle and how to keep it in shape. Remember when you start an
exercise program you usually feel a little awkward, and that
is just fine. Recommit today to embrace your funniness by
learning to laugh at any limiting beliefs and practice being
the author of humor in your environment.
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