10 life hacks that will make you the queen of humor

Many people like to listen to jokes, but not everyone is good at telling jokes. Humor is an excellent social glue that can bring strangers together and defuse conflict situations. According to a 2022 study by the Rabota.ru service, the majority of Russian women value intelligence (68%) and loyalty (64%) in men, while sense of humor (52%) comes in third place. This may be why so many of us want to master this skill so badly. We share life hacks that will make you the queen of humor.

Expand your horizons

The advice is mundane but effective. The more you read, the more beautiful and clear your speech will be, and the larger your vocabulary will be. Watching movies, comedy shows, and stand-up will also help you keep your finger on the pulse and learn to feel the public’s reaction to this or that content. And keep up with the latest news because many people love jokes on the topic of the day.

Be relevant

It is important for any stand-up comedian to understand who his audience is: age, gender, interests, etc. The same joke may cause maniacal laughter in some friends, but surprise and confusion in others. This is especially true of national humor, which can be very specific. Therefore, the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans love to joke about toilets and types of feces, and the British joke so cunningly that many cannot understand “what is the point.”

Take a test drive

To avoid disappointment at the first failure, do not set a goal to immediately succeed in business. It’s normal for someone not to like a joke. But you will understand this and understand from your own experience which stories work best and in which company. Practice – and everything will be fine!

Try not to offend anyone

Be careful with provocative jokes so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Make fun of situations, not specific people. Otherwise, you may lose the trust of your audience. After all, no one hates being ridiculed.

Learn to laugh at yourself

But you can actually laugh at yourself! Remember Charlie Chaplin’s drawings that got him into trouble. Everyone could recognize themselves in his vagabond hero. Likewise, in your stories, talk about ridiculous and ridiculous situations, such as a fight in the queue or a failed interview.

Look for unexpected analogies

The formula for a successful punchline is to turn the usual understanding of a particular topic on its head. Examples: “If people can eat real beef, why do they eat marbled beef?” or “I wanted to have a good time, but time said: you can’t fool me.”

Break the mold

A good punchline contains an element of surprise. Let an ordinary story have a sudden ending. Here are examples of jokes: “There are three tenses in the Russian language. Can I live where it is good?” and “I always listen to the opinions of people who agree with me.”

I love callbacks

Our lives can also be a source of inspiration. Remember some good jokes that once made your friends laugh. Don’t be afraid to talk about the ridiculous stories you once found yourself in.

smile more often

Find reasons for joy more often to charge those around you with your energy. They say, “They don’t spit on a smiling face.” The only exception: if you are deliberately joking “seriously”, this is your stage image. The skill of the storyteller includes not only text but also non-verbal techniques. Work on your facial expressions, intonation and gestures.

Avoid stereotypes

Sex, fear, and death are themes that often appeal to audiences, but they’re not always played with the same card. Come up with unclear topics. After all, sometimes what really matters is not what to tell, but how to tell it.