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I could be sillier.
I could.
But, compared to so many people I encounter in real life, the world seems like it could use a big dose of big belly laughs.
You know, like the ones our children encounter daily?
We can all stand to stop taking ourselves too seriously, at least some of the time. Yes, things in life are serious. At times, maybe a little too serious. But, part of being awake — being 100 percent mindful — is focusing on one thing. Let this week’s one thing be on being able to laugh at ourselves, laugh at our mistakes, laugh at our kids putting ridiculous amounts of chocolate icing all over their faces {and shirts}.
Photo courtesy of Haley-Elise on Flickr
One of my favorite movies is The Holiday. Every single scene is amazing but I think every parent loves when Jude Law plays Mr. Napkin Head for his children. It’s such a refreshing thing to see a serious man, a serious Dad not being afraid to be silly.
Go ahead, amaze yourself this week and just act silly. Do a silly experiment. Leap into life with a let’s-be-goofy-and-ridiculous kind of swagger this week.
Pink Sherbert Photography -- found via Flickr Creative Commons
Let’s bring silly back.
Here are 16 Ways to Put A little Silly into Your Life
- Put on a silly hat.
- Break out into a silly dance.
- Tell a silly joke — you know, one that is normally above you.
- Walk a silly walk.
- Tell a silly story.
- Make a silly breakfast.
- Wear a silly outfit.
- Play a silly game.
- Make silly things.
- Draw silly monsters.
- Make a silly face.
- Talk in a silly voice.
- Conduct a messy but silly experiment.
- Think silly thoughts.
- Paint a silly face.
- Write a silly poem.
And, better than all of this — if it’s even possible to get better than this — let your kids be silly. Let them be kids. Let them do the silly dances — in public. Let them wear that chocolate ice cream on their face — all day long. Let them dress in a dress-up Princess dress in public.
Just be silly.
Relax. Do less Adult agenda and more kid agenda.
Even — ESPECIALLY — if you do not have any children at all.
Who’s with me? Who wants to bring silly back?
What kinds of silly brings laughter to your days? To inspire you a bit more, here’s the clip of Mr. Napkin Head from “The Holiday.” Happy Monday!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BO-NKYsr7s]
Just watching The Holiday right now! Love that scene! So true – be silly everyday.
Wow, Jean — that’s a very neat coincidence …. and lucky you!!!
I’m with you! Fab post! It’s given me lots of ideas for being silly, thanks. I do love the film ‘The Holiday’. Looking forward to your next post.
Thanks, Sandra! I’d love for you to report back any silly ideas you come up with this week. Our kids may think we’ve lost it but who cares??? LOL
being and embracing silly is an underrated art. thanks for encouraging our mastering it! I certainly can use more silly in my life, although I am actively trying to encourage my silly side. I’m certain I lost a lot of my silly in childhood, so I do try to love that side of my children.
You are so right. I lost it a bit, too. I want that kind of life not the one where we’re all too afraid to have fun.
What is a silly hat? What is a silly dance? What are these silly things one should make? How to define silly?
I think I need to start keeping a notebook where I write everything I see and think “now, that’s silly”, so that I can do that when I need a little silly in my life.
I love the movie I.Q. Einstein and his friends are being silly
And I love them 
Great idea!
I love this entry! One of the reasons why I married my husband is because of his sense of humor. And ever since we had kids, he does pretty much everything on your “Silly List”–on a daily basis–including Mr. Napkin Face!
My kids totally eat it up, and follow their dad’s example.
Great post!
Thank you! The AA Dad is very silly as well. Sure does make for fun days!
YES! I want to bring the silly back in a big way! I find myself getting annoyed at times with our girls when they are out-of-control silly, but then later I wish I had just jumped on the silly bandwagon, too. Sometimes when we are at the dinner table and just getting fed up with the silliness quotient, my husband and just start talking in strange foreign accents (usually a combo of British, French and Russian) and making lots of goofy faces. The girls are so stunned, and I love to hear their genuine laughter.
I just love to hear their belly laughs. Such perfect moments. Thanks for sharing!!
I agree! Let your kids be silly. People worry way too much about how they look to others. I wrote about that a couple of months back.
This is a great post, thanks for the list.
http://wp.me/p1Lusc-4l
Thanks, Symanntha!
I once heard a yoga teacher say, “Bring only as much seriousness to your practice as necessary. Be playful. Have fun.” I try to remember that as a parent, too.
That was good advice I got from a yoga instructor recently as well … makes everything so much more enjoyable.
Personally, I can’t bring silly back because it never left in the first place =)
Shawn, finally got a chance to look at your blog. Neat stuff all over it.
On being silly in particular … our youngest (who’s 10) loves art. Sometimes we’ll combine on a picture by telling each other to draw a certain thing — you draw an elephant on roller skates; OK, now you draw a flamingo in a top hat; stuff like that — and when we’re done we have a ridiculous and funny work of “art.”
Or we’ll take turns drawing on the same piece of paper, and neither of us can see what the other is drawing until it’s finished, and we keep trading the paper back and forth until we’ve filled it up with crazy stuff.
Anyway, good stuff and happy writing — and parenting!
Great ideas … We do similar art games! I love those moments! Thx for visiting. I am having fun here. : )
Simple and oh so wise! Funny how these two usually go hand in hand.
I do have kids, but am also a preschool teacher. So many of these can be used in the classroom. Let kids be kids. Don't make them grow up so fast.
That's one thing we do over here is act silly. And embarrass the girls
Silly is my middle name! Not seriously of course.
Thanks for making me feel proud to be so silly! 