Taking Oneself Too Seriously
It is more fitting for a man to laugh at life than to lament over it.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Once in a while I catch myself being too serious. Let me explain what tests I use to check my getting overly serious:
1. Do I really think that I have all the answers?
2. Am I so sure of what I think that I am putting demands on anyone, including myself? “You should have!” “I have to.” “The world has to be easier.”
“... much of the misery in the world, I've decided, is caused by people who take themselves too seriously. Certainly, most of the unhappiness I've brought on myself has come from trying to impress others.
The people I find most appealing nowadays are those so secure in who they are, so lacking in ego, pretense, and guile, that they can allow others simply to be themselves. It is, I think, the rarest of privileges, the freedom to be completely oneself in the company of others.”
Lionel Fisher, Celebrating Time Alone: Stories Of Splendid Solitude
Life may not be a dress rehearsal, but it is only a play after all. You can choose to be an actor or a critic or both, but one man’s tragedy may well be another man’s comedy. Choose wisely when to cry and wisely when to laugh. Gunars
Whenever I start to take myself too seriously, I try to imagine what would happen if everyone else took themselves too seriously also. Unfortunately all of us often do. Then we start wars, feuds, and genocide.
Use a checklist to keep things in perspective. Shake yourself out of a serious demeanor by asking questions that will help you get your priorities straight. When you feel intense seriousness start to bubble up inside, ask yourself the following questions:
· Is this worth getting upset over?
· Is this worth possibly upsetting others?
· Is this really so important?
· Is this so bad to begin with?
· Is the situation really beyond repair?
· Is this your problem at all?
Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce. Unknown
Sometimes it is the best to understand Oscar Wilde’s quote “Life is too serious to be taken seriously.” 😊