Stop Taking Life So Seriously: 5 Reasons Why
Inside: Stop Taking Life So Seriously: 5 Reasons Why.
For my daughters Sweet 16, we thought it would be fun to fly our family and two of her friends to Disney for a week. We also included our closest friends and their daughter for the trip. After a week of fun and exhaustion, our flight home got delayed. The delay started as an hour and then quickly turned into overnight and the next morning.
We arrived at the airport at 4:00 PM for our flight and didn’t take off until the next morning at around 9:00 AM. We slept on the airport floor since there were no hotels available. It was not ideal but we were with friends and made the best of it. Finding an open bar at 2:00 AM didn’t hurt. We laughed a lot watching other people lose their minds.
The point of my story is that we too could have all lost our minds and been angry. Instead, we made arrangments for our dogs at home, took our food vouchers, and raided Starbucks of scones and muffins, and made the best of the situation. We found the humor in it. Sometimes that’s all you need to do.
We’ve all heard someone in our life say “stop taking life so seriously”, especially in our younger years. Many people are too serious or take themselves too seriously. They’re “stuck up” or “full of themselves”, complain constantly or dare I say….they are just a pain in the ass.
As much as I write about being the best person you can be and of personal development and growth, it’s important to let loose every once in a while and realize that you might need to stop taking life so seriously.
What you don’t know is a lot
I know that you’ve encountered someone who claims to know it all. I have someone in my life right now like that. It would be easy to walk away but sometimes you’re stuck with family. What I’ve come to realize is that there is just too much to know. It’s that simple. No one has this whole life thing figured out. We don’t know it all and neither does anybody else. Including you, (or your annoying family member)
No matter how hard you may try to be a perfectionist know that it isn’t possible. Trying to be perfect has the opposite effect and only causes more stress in your life.
Life is too short
The cliche is to live every day like it’s your last on the planet and honestly, that’s not a bad idea considering you never know. There’s a story on the news every single day about some poor guy or gal that was changing a tire on the side of the road and was run over and killed. Or what about a family on vacation in Thailand when a Tsunami comes through and they all drown.
Terrible stories like this are rampant. I’m not suggesting you live your life out of control but don’t wait for tomorrow, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. Step out of your comfort zone once in a while and challenge yourself.
Your time on earth is limited. We only have one go at this! Wouldn’t you prefer to be a happy person who laughs? And, don’t listen to people who try to bring you down! Most likely they are jealous of you and are trying to bring you down to make themselves feel better.
Serious people are a drag, laugh a little
Nobody wants to be around the person who is always serious and never any fun! People want to be around people who have fun. Find places to laugh and I promise you will feel better after just about any terrible day. A comedy club, a funny movie, playing with your kids, or just a night out with friends are all situations where you can find laughter. It is the best medicine.
Worrying stinks!
A quote that I always use is “Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace”. Serious people wind up becoming stressed and full of anxiety by situations they have zero control over. Anyone who follows me on Facebook will understand when I say that EVERY flight I take, and I don’t fly often for work, is delayed for some reason or another. Most times it doesn’t affect my schedule being a couple of hours late. It’s frustrating but there are many other times I just have to laugh. It almost becomes a game at this point with me.
My wife is way more of a “go with the flow” person and very little bothers her when it comes to minor inconveniences. She takes it all in stride and makes the best of the situation. I can learn a lot from her and so can many other people.
You are but a dot in the universe
Sometimes we just need to readjust our perspective and think more positive and realize that we are a flea in the universe, a speck. We are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Enjoy your life as much as you possibly can and do your best to make other people’s lives happy as well.
So what am I saying in all of this? Just be silly now and again. Learn to laugh at yourself and find the humor in all situations. Stop taking life so seriously. It can all change in an instant so why not enjoy every moment while you can!
“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive” — Elbert Hubbard
“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine” — Lord Byron
What do you do to stop taking life too seriously? Comment below I’d love to hear from you.
Originally published at https://dadontheedge.com on May 12, 2020.