Is humour important for life?

Nine years ago, on a hot and humid afternoon in Chennai, me and my parents went to “see-the-girl” – my to-be life-partner.
It was our first meeting and there were atleast 15 people in the girl’s house to “see” me.
The moment we went in and sat down, the ceiling fan stopped. There was a power cut.
An awkward silence filled the room.
With an uncomfortable feeling of not knowing where to look, everyone looked at the fan – as though seeing it for the first time.
That’s when an eldery uncle in the house broke the silence:
“Aswin, don’t worry about the fan above, we are all your fans today!” The room erupted into laughter.
Maybe it is not such a great joke, but at that moment, it was a much required humor to break the tension in the air.

Mark Twain once said, “Just as Covishield is to the Corona virus, Humour is to the life’s problems“.
Ok, Mark Twain din’t say that. I did. But, research says 95% of audience believe any random quote when we tell them “Mark Twain” said that.
Before you wonder which research is that, let me come to the point.

Covishield or any vaccine does not prevent the virus from entering our body. However, it does minimize the damages the virus can do to the body. It gives the body capacity to “cope” and “fight” over the virus.
Humour is exactly that. Do you have a problem free life? Can you guarantee your life will hereafter be without any troubles? Life is never perfect. Problems, stress and tension are bound to occur at all times. Some problems take a toll on our physical and mental health. It even leads to depression.

However, when we learn to see and appreciate humour in the moments of life, it raises our spirits whenever we are feeling low. It helps us bounce back quickly into normalcy.
Moments of laughter and humour releases Endorphins – the body’s natural feel-good chemical. It can even relieve pain.

Mark Twain (really) said that “Humor is the great thing, the saving thing after all. The minute it crops up, all our hardnesses yield, all our irritations, and resentments flit away, and a sunny spirit takes their place.“

I know what you are thinking. Ok enough, understood humour is important. But how do we learn to see humour in life? Is there a special glass to see humour? “My life, my family, my friends are not that humorous” – I have heard people complaining. Wrong. Humour is everywhere – just like the mutated corona viruses of the second-wave – it all around us. It is just that we need to actively look for it.

Ron Culberson – a professional humourist says it is about noticing “Congruent Incongruence” and it simply means seeing both the connections and the disconnections – at the same time. Once I went to a doctor’s clinic which is usually busy with a lot of wait time. There was a sign outside which read “Be Patient and wait for your turn“.
The word Patient caught my attention. I am already a Patient. Now do I need to “be” patient? Patients, Patience! I smiled inside – reducing the wait time anxiety.

To start with, make an effort to notice atleast five funny things everyday – also write it down when you encounter a humorous event, someone’s comment, something you read, or your own thought. The more you write it down, the more you automatically cultivate the habit of seeing humour on everything. Optionally, you could top it up by reading newspaper comic strips, comedy, jokes often.

I was once giving a Prepared Speech at a Toastmasters Contest in KCG College Auditorium about how my french beard helps me balance wife and mother successfully. I noticed the founder Dr. KCG Verghese’s portrait on the stage – he was with the french beard! I instantly showed that to the audience and it was a laughter riot.

Yes – unlike the popular perception, sense of humour can be cultivated. It need not only be a born-trait. It can be cultivated. Some people luckily acquire it naturally, and some have to put an effort.

So what are you waiting for? Register for your vaccine today! For Covishield, check with CoWIN. For Humour, check with AsWIN. The latter is usually successful! (according to Mark Twain’s research)

References for further reading:
1. https://www.laughterremedy.com/2012/04/the-fifth-humor-habit-look-for-humor-in-everyday-life/
2. https://ronculberson.com/the-4-step-formula-for-seeing-humor-in-the-world/
3. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/why-humor-is-an-essential-life-skill/

4. For the curious few, who want to check Dr. KCG Varghese’s photograph: https://hindustanuniv.ac.in/founder.php

How to prepare a “prepared speech”?

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters

“If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation, your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond

The below is a brief set of notes I have taken from my own experience of preparing and delivering speechs in my Toastmasters Club(s), Speech Contests and from witnessing many educational sessions. These guidelines could be considered by anyone preparing to give a good speech – from idea generation, to scripting and delivering it.

(First 3 points focus on content, next three on presentation.) 

1. Take any idea or incident

2. Dump all words related and info to that over a paper.

3. Apply the 3 ‘C’s – Concrete idea, Credible content(which connects to audience, Express sincerely, don’t try to impress), Clear message (crisp single line message that you are trying to convey).  CONCRETE IDEA: Reflect and note down why you chose this incident or idea? What influenced you to write this. Rework as many times until you are satisfied.

CREDIBLE CONTENT: Convert the above personal story or incident for a larger audience. Your true story definitely will have an aspect that can be generalized. Generalize it so every member of the audience (from different age groups, gender, professions, backgrounds) should have something to connect with your story in some way.

CLEAR MESSAGE: Be clear on a single message and articulate a 1 line message to the general audience.

4. Craft your speech: Use vivid imagery( use of colors, description of things) definite characters and dialogues.

5. Technicalities of delivery: On stage, fix stage positions and mannerisms for each character or a message and maintain those consistent positions whenever referring to that character or message. Use a  prop if it helps to replace 50 words instead. Don’t force a prop.

6. Tagline: give a tagline with minimal words. This must be a sticky element which ppl will remember and recollect for a long time. But, don’t force it , this is optional.

Some points or myths:

  1. Universal message? Not always. Not a must
  2. Single Magic formula? No.
  3. Be yourself. Dinstict style. 
  4. Purposeful theaterics only. Don’t force anything.
  5. Humour is must? No, not necessarily.

Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

  • Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
  • Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

  • Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
  • What topics do you think you’ll write about?
  • Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
  • If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.

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