About this quote

We treat our daily dramas like matters of life and death and build up massive walls of self-importance. Watch any corporate meeting or political debate and you will see people stiff with pride, terrified of looking foolish. But humor is the ultimate pressure valve. When you learn to laugh at your own absurdities, you strip away the fake gravity that keeps you stuck. Try spotting one overly serious moment today and simply choose to smile instead of getting angry.

When to use it

• When a major software release gets delayed and the entire engineering team panics. You can use this idea to cool the room down by pointing out that a late app update is not a global disaster.
• You and your partner are having a heated argument about who forgot to buy milk. Stop, realize how ridiculous you both look, and crack a quick joke to break the tension.
• If you completely ruin your golf swing during a local tournament and feel your temper rising. A quick laugh at your bad shot keeps you relaxed enough to enjoy the rest of the game.
• When you make a silly mistake on your taxes and lose fifty dollars. Instead of beating yourself up for days, you laugh at your bad math and move on.