You’re brilliant!

I know that. You know that. Your mum definitely knows that.

But what about those times when you’re being brilliantly boring?

I mean, it’s not like you’re doing it on purpose. It kind of creeps up on you.

And then one day, you’re sat at your desk, looking over something you just wrote and it hits you …

When did I get so damn serious?!?

What happened to that girl who loves to giggle? She still tells silly stories and puts a pink straw in her husband’s pint glass, purely for her own amusement.

So when did she stop showing up at work?

And yes, I am that girl. But I’m pretty sure you need to lighten up a little too sweet heart.

If your work is not making you, and the people around you, laugh, at least once a day, you’re either doing the wrong work or you’re not really being you.

The first is a conversation for another day. It’s the latter I want to talk about.

Humour. It’s a funny old thing. (Pun absolutely intended.) You might be rubbish at telling jokes and maybe the things that make you giggle make 98% of the population roll their eyes and groan but that two per cent?

They think you’re a comedic genius!

I don’t care how serious or grown up or right a proper you think you are, God gave you a sense of humour.

Some people seem to have had their funny bone severed when they hit puberty and never got it mended but even them, given a little encouragement, can remember what it’s like to laugh.

You’ve heard all the cliches about laughter being wonderful medicine and good for the soul and yes, this is true but you know what? Smiling and laughing every day just makes life feel nicer.

I’m 35. Sure, I don’t really want to suffer in my old age but I don’t much care about laughing right now as a way to make my body feel better when it’s ancient. But laughing today because right now today it makes me feel wonderful?

That I can commit to!

So here’s my challenge for you today …

Start by looking at where you are right now. When was the last time you had a right proper belly laugh? Are you smiling every day? What makes you smile? What makes you giggle?

And how can you let more of that out to play today?

You might have a really serious job and no, if you’re a funeral director, I’m not suggesting you play ‘Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer’ at your next service ‘because it’ll be a giggle and help lighten the atmosphere’.

There are times when quiet and still and somber really are what’s needed.

But for everything else, there’s Mastercard.

Ooops, wrong post. I mean, for everything else, there’s a place for smiling and laughter.

Recognise what makes you laugh and bring that into your today. It’ll make your day feel fantastic and you never know, you might just infect someone else too.

Wouldn’t that be nifty?