How to Be Naturally Funny

Having a good sense of humor in social interactions can offer many benefits. Countless studies have shown that humor helps improve social anxiety, reduce stress, and contribute to positive psychological and emotional effects. Moreover, evidence suggests that funny individuals often experience more success. However, it's important that humor arises naturally, with a relaxed and spontaneous demeanor. Forced or awkward attempts to be funny can have negative consequences in social situations.

Start by Relaxing! Feeling overly tense and shy can hinder the natural development and expression of humor, which has the potential to spread to others. Remember, laughter is contagious, so people will laugh if you have a cheerful and open demeanor. To overcome initial awkwardness, you can follow the lead of others if needed.

• Try smiling and laughing out loud more.

Be Comfortable with Yourself and Your Outlook on Life. Everyone has their own perspectives on life, and often, these ideas can be quite humorous. People with a good sense of humor are typically willing to find humor in themselves and their outlook. If you are too stiff or shy, it will be hard to spot the humor in those moments.

• Be open with others by sharing your awkward experiences. However, be cautious, as self-deprecating stories may make either you or others uncomfortable. Stick to lighthearted, fun stories.

Find Humor in Everyday Situations. Many comedians draw material for their acts from the world around them. Some people look to past experiences, such as childhood or former relationships, to find humor that resonates with others. Try to set a goal of identifying five funny and bizarre things that happen in your daily life. In doing so, you’ll start to discover humor in common situations that others can appreciate.

• Look for inspiration and material in the funny and strange events of daily life. What humorous things do you notice in music, popular fashion, or current holidays and events?

Observe a Friend or Acquaintance with a Good Sense of Humor. We all have friends who never fail to make us laugh. What makes them so funny? When you're with them, pay attention to what makes them humorous. Is it their voice, body language, choice of words, demeanor, or something else that contributes to their natural humor? Once you identify this, you’ll have a clue on how to bring out your own natural humor.

• Make a habit of spending more time with funny people and share your own funny stories and jokes with them.

Study Different Humor Styles. Different styles of humor appeal to different audiences. Some enjoy sarcasm and witty remarks, others prefer joke-telling, some are adept at impersonating famous personalities, and still, others prefer physical comedy. All of these styles can be humorous, but it's best to choose one that fits your personality to achieve natural humor.

• Storytelling humor focuses on personal, often exaggerated, anecdotes.
• Deadpan humor is delivered in a calm, emotionless manner, with the content being hilarious.
• Exaggerated humor relies heavily on over-the-top exaggeration.
• Irony involves saying the opposite of what is meant, creating humor in the contrast.

Practice Being Funny. Set a goal to make someone laugh at least once a day. You can't expect to develop a natural sense of humor overnight, and professional comedians often spend years honing their unique style. Start slowly, and you will eventually develop a natural sense of humor when interacting with others.

• Don’t be afraid to share what you find funny. Even if not everyone gets your humor, you can still use their reactions to refine your style, content, and timing for your jokes.
• Share the things that make you laugh. If something strikes you as funny, tell someone you think will appreciate it too.
• Share funny moments from movies, TV shows, books, or comics.

Understand Your Audience. It's important to know what kind of audience you're speaking to and what will make them laugh. Remember, just because you find something funny doesn’t mean others will too. You need to understand your audience before you can make them laugh!

• Humor can vary with age. Older audiences may not find jokes with sexual or crude elements amusing, while younger ones might enjoy them.
• Keep in mind that inside jokes or personal stories are best shared only with close friends. You wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out because they don’t understand the context.
• Unless everyone shares the same views, avoid making jokes about religion or politics.
• Use humor to make people feel comfortable and happy, not to target someone’s appearance or beliefs.

Pay Attention to Timing When Telling Jokes. Professional comedians often say that timing is crucial during a performance. Jokes or humorous comments are more effective if you pause just before the punchline to build suspense and anticipation. You can also wait for a few seconds of laughter after the climax to let the audience ponder whether you were joking. Always allow time for your audience to laugh before moving on to a new topic.

• If you notice something funny, don’t wait too long to bring it up. Seize the moment!
• Quick, witty comments or sarcastic remarks often work well within fast-paced conversations.
• Keep your story short and simple, as too many details can distract your audience.

Use Yourself as the Punchline. People will enjoy humor when you make yourself the subject of your jokes. This helps them feel more open and relaxed, not just laughing at you but also at themselves. This way, people will start laughing and feel less socially anxious.

• Don’t start by making jokes at someone else’s expense.
• If you’re with someone who is comfortable laughing at themselves, you can tease them lightly after making fun of yourself. Just remember not to go too far, as this could turn an innocent situation into an awkward one.

Stick to Familiar Topics That Won’t Cause Harm. People with higher status, such as politicians, celebrities, or former bosses, are often safe targets for teasing. However, avoid making jokes about those with physical or cognitive impairments, or individuals facing difficult situations like divorce, death, illness, or sexual assault.

• A golden rule is "punch up, not down." Teasing a figure of power, like a bully, is "punching up." Teasing a vulnerable person, like an oppressed group, is "punching down." Punching up challenges power structures, while punching down reinforces the status quo.

Avoid Memorizing and Repeating Old Jokes. Telling outdated or inappropriate jokes can quickly kill the mood. Additionally, trying to retell a joke you saw on TV or found online will come off as rehearsed and unnatural. Instead, focus on things you've personally observed.

Use Your Sense of Humor to Fit In at Work. Remember, being overly serious can actually harm your relationships with coworkers. A good sense of humor combined with a strong work ethic is key for successful leadership. With humor, you can improve your image at work.

Connect with Colleagues Through Humor. Humor can help strengthen team bonds by easing negative situations and bringing positive energy. You can use your wit to highlight commonalities with your coworkers or superiors. This makes it easier to make friends and create a more relaxed work environment.

• If you’re collaborating with someone for the first time, humor can be a great way to present criticism or support for a differing opinion without coming across as arrogant or condescending.

Be Cautious with Humor at Work. You need to be witty, but not passive-aggressive or overly blunt. It's important to grab and hold people’s attention without making them feel uncomfortable. At work, avoid using ‘silly’ humor, which often carries risks.

• Offensive topics include those related to physical appearance, disabilities, disadvantaged groups (e.g., women and minorities), body functions, or gender.

• Make sure your audience knows when you are joking and when you are being serious.
• Remember, no one is perfect. Finding humor in embarrassing or awkward situations can help you cope and make those around you feel more at ease.
• Use your judgment to determine what is appropriate.
• Watch comedy shows and observe how comedians perform and react humorously to social situations or their surroundings. Try to mimic their style and pay attention to the audience's reactions.
• Avoid overusing sarcastic remarks or repeating ‘catchphrases’.
• Don’t tell the same story or joke over and over again.
• Humor is a great way to relieve stress, but you should know when to be serious.
• Don’t act foolish just because you think it’s funny, and never belittle yourself or embarrass yourself for cheap laughs.