SELF-IRONY: KNOWING HOW TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF AS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

Consciously or not, one of the things we surely fear or despise is the judgment of others. We live in an "age in which it seems that our every action is always judged and for this we aspire to perfection in everything, blaming ourselves for our weaknesses or shortcomings. All this creates a constant pressure that greatly affects our mood, often making us frustrated and One way out of this vortex of rules, stereotypes and constraints is that of self-irony, a skill that hides many more benefits than one might think and that helps us to improve even our self-esteem.

What do you mean by "self-irony"

With the term "irony" he means the use of words that mean the opposite of what one really means, while still suggesting the true feeling. "Self-irony, therefore, is that" irony that a person turns towards himself or towards his own behavior and which is often summarized as "laughing at oneself". It is considered as a real ability: you can be born self-deprecating or you can become one, nourishing this gift with time and with the right personal work. In short, self-irony must be cultivated like any other positive characteristic of our being.

The benefits of laughing at yourself

Sigmund Freud at the beginning of the twentieth century already said that humor was the most powerful defense mechanism and that self-irony, that is, humor turned towards oneself, would be the secret of happiness. What are, therefore, the advantages of exercising self-irony, especially in a society like today's where the models to follow tend more and more to perfection?

It helps to accept yourself

We start from a fundamental premise: we cannot be good and excel in everything. Everyone has their weaknesses, but the important thing is to recognize that, in the same way, we all have strengths. Being able to laugh at yourself is the first step to love and accept yourself as you are. Who knows how to practice humor about oneself proves to be a mature and intelligent person because she is free from the pressure of judgment of others. Here, then, that self-irony becomes a milestone on the path of personal growth of self-acceptance and self-love: self-deprecating people accept their shortcomings, fears and defects, without trying to hide them or pretend to be different from what they really are. I'm.

Improve self-esteem

What we are judged most often on are certainly our shortcomings and defects. Not knowing how to do something, despite one's efforts, or not being perfect can destabilize, create uncertainty and damage our self-esteem and self-confidence. However, through self-irony, the situation can be reversed. Joking, laughing and humor on our fool or on a negative side of our character go to "exorcise" shame and shyness, leading us to accept our beautiful imperfection. By accepting ourselves, we do not allow our weaknesses to prevail over those of strength, on the contrary, we try to balance them: in doing so we will not let ourselves be discouraged by fears and shortcomings and this will be the right charge for our self-esteem.

Promotes empathy

Showing oneself imperfect and, therefore, splendidly human has advantages not only in terms of personal growth, but also in the relationship with others. When self-irony is practiced in a conversation, first of all it lightens the tone of the speech, creating a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Then, a climate of greater intimacy is created, which improves the level of empathy. In fact, joking and laughing about your defect, your lack or a situation that saw you as an awkward protagonist let your interlocutor's "defenses" drop, and he / she will immediately feel closer to you. In front of someone who knows how to make fun of their limits, we tend to do the same because we feel understood in some way. We are led to reveal our defects and to tell our experiences with the intent of sharing in the life of others.

It is a stimulus for creativity

We have seen how self-irony is synonymous with acceptance and intelligence. In addition to these advantages, laughing at oneself acts directly on our creativity. This is because in making fun of ourselves we use words in a new and original way: let's say one thing when in reality we imply another meaning and a different message. In this regard, Woody Allen himself said: "I would have I wanted to be a tragic writer, but I have this innate comic talent that stopped me". So why not take advantage of weaknesses to turn them into strengths?

It has the "natural benefits" of laughter

Finally, we must not forget that famous saying according to which "laughter is the best medicine". By exercising self-irony, you can also enjoy this indisputable benefit. Many studies have noted that laughter favors the increase in the production of serotonin and endorphins, substances capable of raising mood. This natural process makes it a true natural antidepressant capable of positively influencing the general psychophysical state of the person. In addition, laughing helps to counteract stress hormones, helping to lower their level. By reducing stress, we also lower the amount of cortisol, the hormone responsible for cellular inflammation and the accumulation of abdominal fat. Lowering it acts on the immune system which is thus strengthened and stimulated.