Catching up with Karyn

Welcome back! Can I safely assume, since you are excellent humor scholars, that you’ve taken the humor quotient test that I talked about in last week’s video? If you haven’t, go back to last week’s post, then come back and join us!

If you have taken the humor quotient test, excellent! Now, you’re probably wondering what you’re supposed to do with the numbers that you got back. This is where some high school math comes in (I know, it’s been a while). What we’re going to do is graph those numbers, and then you’ll be able to see where you lie in terms of appreciating and applying your humor.

If you find yourself in the bottom left quadrant, you might believe that humor isn’t a crucial part of improving both your professional and personal life! Now, if this is where you landed on the grid, don’t be discouraged—there is always room for improvement no matter where you are on the graph! That’s right. Even if...

You’ve heard me say it hundreds of times, but as I do with my family, I’ll keep repeating it until everyone gets how important it is: knowledge is power. But here’s the thing, it’s not just the knowledge that’s going to get you the power, it’s the application of the knowledge of the power—say that ten times fast! 

Think of it this way if you see someone in need of CPR you’re not going to run up to them and tell them “I know how to do CPR!” that’s not going to help them at all, and it’s definitely not going to make you the most popular person in the room. It’s the same with humor (except its not life or death). You can say you’re funny all day long, but if your appreciation of humor trumps your ability to apply the humor, nothing is going to change.

Throughout the day seek out things that amuse you, and before you know it your brain is going to start recognizing the humor in everything—and...

Welcome back to today’s 30-Day Humor Challenge. Humor is abundant if you look for it. One of the places I go to for humor is my library. I love books, and I have a huge collection of authors who are funny and insightful. Books by comedians are an obvious choice, like Ellen DeGeneres (My Point, And I Do Have One), Dennis Miller (Rants), or George Carlin (Brain Droppings).

There’s also humor from modern-day philosophers like Robert Fulghum in his book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, or how about a little sci-fi humor with books like All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Star Trek or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Maybe you prefer something a little more classic like tales from Mark Twain (that other humorist from my hometown—Hannibal Missouri!).

I enjoy books from funny gal pals like Loretta LaRoche (Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal), Gina Barreca (It’s Not That I’m Bitter) and Mary LoVerde (Stop Screaming at the...

I speak to thousands of people every year about the power of humor. Nearly everybody “gets it,” and they all appreciate humor. But when I suggest that they consciously bring more humor into their lives, some of them resist, saying “But I’m not funny!”

To which I say: “GREAT!”

Here’s the good news. To enjoy humor, you don’t have to be funny! Some of the happiest and most successful people I know aren’t funny, but they recognize its value. They’re not humor initiators but they ARE humor appreciators!

So let’s kick off the challenge with something easy and start by examining your sense of humor. What makes you laugh? Do you enjoy deadpan humor like Steven Wright’s? Or do you like redneck humor like Jeff Foxworthy’s? Maybe you’re a fan of slapstick like The Three Stooges. (Knuuck, knuuck, knuuck…) Maybe you’re a fan of satirical humor like Sarah Silverman. And what are your favorite...