If you have a problem making people laugh, don’t worry. You’re not alone. But if you want to learn how to be funny, you can. Here’s how you do it.
Funny, charming people aren’t born that way. They actually had to learn how to be funny. They were born just like anyone else, but they learned to be funny along the way.
During our formative years and our childhood, we start to pick up traits and characters that we see all around us. But if you haven’t picked up the funny bone influence from past experiences, don’t worry about it.
All it takes is a bit of understanding about being more funny, and what it really takes to be a funny person who charms everyone around.
The first thing you need to know is that being funny isn’t about reciting jokes all the time. A talking parrot could be the funniest thing in the world if things worked that way. And being funny isn’t about behaving like a clown either.
A fun person is one who is genuinely happy at heart, and uses situations around themselves to create something funny out of thin air.
[Read: How to be more interesting – 21 fun ways to go from boring to lovable]
How to be funny no matter where you are
If you’re a not-so-funny person and want to get funny, there are two things you need to keep in mind.
One, you can’t please everyone, so don’t feel let down if someone’s not laughing. Two, it takes time to become funny.
Remember, when you’re trying to become funnier, you’re changing your whole personality and becoming a better charmer. And that’ll definitely take time. [Read: 12 types of humor and how it affects relationships and people around you]
To start off on your fun journey to become a funnier person, you have to change the way you look at the world. Don’t be negative or boring. Try to be involved and add to the conversation wherever you are.
Happy and fun people always have a better life. They have more friends, and people always bond better with them instantly. After all, funny people are memorable people.
Benefits of humor
Before we get into the exact details about how to be more funny, let’s try to understand why humor matters and why fun people are so loved by everyone else.
While we aren’t all born a natural comedian, we all like to laugh. It’s fun, but it also has some other benefits that you might not have thought about. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1. Strengthens relationships
When people are too serious, then the dynamics of a relationship can be bad. In fact, sometimes it can even turn toxic.
So, it’s very important that you laugh in your relationships, be it with friends or with a lover. It keeps your mood high, and you have a lot more fun together than if you aren’t joking around. [Read: How to make a girl laugh, smile and like you instantly]
2. Removes bad emotions
No one likes to feel bad, right? When you feel depressed or sad, it’s important to try to see humor in things and laugh. You could put on a funny sitcom or movie to watch, and you’ll immediately feel better.
3. Makes you more attractive
No one likes a “Debbie Downer.” Because those types of people just drag you down with them. Their negativity is contagious.
So, when you are funny, people want to be around you more. And you even start to become more physically attractive to them, too. [Read: What girls find attractive – 25 traits that make you irresistible]
4. Helps your immune system
When we have a lot of negative emotions going on, our body reacts in a bad way.
And believe it or not, scientists say that feelings like depression can actually suppress our immune systems and make us sick – or prevent us from healing.
5. Releases stress
Doctors say that the number one leading cause of disease is stress. Stress is a negative emotion, and as we mentioned above, it surpasses your immune system.
So when you laugh and see humor in situations, it makes you feel a lot less stressed.
6. Makes you live longer
Because humor and laughing helps your immune system and helps you feel less stressed, naturally this would help you live longer.
They have found that optimists live longer than pessimists because they have more positive emotions, and they probably laugh more too.
7. Makes you get creative
If you’re trying to figure out how to be funny, it forces some creativity in you. Just the fact that you’re reading this feature shows that you are stretching your brain and trying to find ways to improve yourself. [Read: 134 smart and very funny would you rather questions to leave you ROFL]
16 steps to learn how to be funny and loved by all
To actually become a funny person whose company everyone loves, you need to take baby steps into becoming a better you. Here are the most important steps you need to take to be funny and loved by everyone you have a conversation with. [Read: How to talk to any guy – 34 tips to smooth talk him and make him adore you]
1. Think positively
The art of being funny or humorous starts with positivity. Be optimistic in your approach towards life, and develop the ability to always look at the bright side of everything.
2. Have a cheerful laugh
A person who has a pleasant laugh or a warm smile plastered on their face while meeting friends or someone new comes across as a likable and fun person to spend time with. If you want to be funny, you have to start by being seen as a fun and likable person. [Read: How to be likable without changing too much of who you are]
3. The kind of company you keep
Spend time with your friends, and meet new friends that you think are fun to spend time with. The kind of company you keep can change your outlook towards life.
When you spend time with people who are cheerful and love to have a laugh all the time, you’ll be able to watch and learn while working on your own humor at the same time. [Read: 30 tips to make new friends who’ll help you have a better life]
4. Comedy shows
Sometimes, a bit of inspiration from somewhere can help you get funnier faster. Just like how autobiographies of successful people can help you achieve more in life, watching standup comedy or comedy flicks will definitely make you a funnier and happier person.
And when you’re watching comedy shows, don’t just listen to the funny lines. Watch how the characters on screen behave and gesticulate when they speak funny.
After all, being funny isn’t all in the lines you say. The way you behave can make a huge difference to your funny bone. [Read: How to love yourself – The 23 best ways to find self-love and happiness]
5. A mischievous attitude
Funny people always have a streak of mischievousness in them. They like pulling someone’s leg or having a laugh at something funny around them.
Mischievous people always see a double meaning in any conversation. Try to think out of the box and see the funny side in everything you do.
6. Confidence
Be confident, it’s that simple really. It isn’t easy to be funny, and you need to like the person you see in the mirror to actually pull off a joke in the middle of the conversation.
If you’re confident and believe that you’re a funny person, everyone else will feel the same way about you too. And another tip to remember, funny people get funnier the more confident they feel. [Read: How to be a witty banter master and be the fun life of any party]
7. Think funny
Change the way you look at the world. Always try to see the funny side to everything. By doing that, your humor will start to get spontaneous.
And to truly appreciate the fun things in life, you need to start taking things just a little more lightly. [Read: How to be a fun texter and make anyone laugh over text with your messages]
8. Read a lot of jokes
Jokes and funny one-liners will give you a lot of catchphrases that you could use yourself. It’ll also help you visualize scenarios better in your own life.
You really don’t have to memorize jokes. Just knowing what happens at a bar or in a class can help you recreate the same joke when you experience something similar in real life.
9. Work on your intonation
Understand when to pause and when to continue talking while speaking to someone. Read the newspaper aloud for about half an hour every day.
A serious guy could say a joke, and people may just smile at him. A funny guy could say the same joke, and people may start laughing halfway through the joke.
How you say something funny matters a lot more than what you’re actually saying. Funny people always have great intonation.
10. Be mysterious
As you get funnier, people will just expect you to have a funny retort to everything someone says.
But you don’t really need to prove that you’re a funny person all the time. At times, even if you just smirk or smile, others around you will end up laughing because they’ll assume you’re thinking something funny! [Read: 101 savage, good comebacks for every witty, funny or rude comment]
11. Use the right props
You don’t always have to initiate a joke or say something funny when you’re with your friends. Use other people’s answers or questions, and comment on it by saying something funny.
If someone asks a question, answer something funny.
What’s the worst that could happen? People may not get your joke and think you’re answering seriously. That’s still not bad, is it? [Read: How to meet someone and get them to like you immediately]
12. Know your world
Be aware of what’s happening around you. Funny people are funny because they already know the serious answers to questions about current affairs, and they twist the truth and say something funny instead.
Remember, a funny person is also a very smart person who knows what’s going on in the world.
13. Be who you are
Add humor to your life and the way you talk, but don’t try to be someone else. This is the biggest mistake many people end up committing while trying to be funny.
If you’re the serious type, you don’t need to become a chatterbox or vice versa. Stick to who you are, and learn to be funny by adding that funny side to the real you.
14. Give the opposite answer to yes/no questions
This might sound strange, but it’s one of the easiest ways to be funny – even if you really aren’t. What you should do is to give the opposite answer to yes/no questions. Actually, it’s pretty simple if you think about it.
When people are expecting you to say yes, but you say no, they will be surprised. And if you say no when you should say yes, they’ll think it’s hilarious! So simple, yet so funny. [Read: How to be witty – 25 ways to win over everyone with your charm]
15. Tell funny stories
We’ve all had funny things happen in our lives, right? Even if you can’t think of a hilarious story to tell from your past, you can find something to talk about. For example, think about the most embarrassing moments in your life.
Maybe you tripped and fell in front of your crush in fifth grade. It might not have been funny at the time, but now it’s really great to laugh about it. People will love hearing your funny stories.
16. Work on your accents
Have you ever heard someone tell a joke, but they used a great Irish, British, or Italian accent? If not, it really adds a lot of humor to the joke.
Instead of telling it with your normal, monotone voice, you could sort of “act” it out by adding funny gestures or accents while you tell it.
[Read: 45 funny questions to make someone laugh and get to know them better instantly]
The three types of funny you can be
There are many ways to be funny. But there are three traits you can add to your communication that will always work, without making it seem like you’re trying too hard.
Use any or all of these three types of humor in your conversation and you’ll always leave people around you in splits. [Read: 15 flirting signs to instantly know if someone is flirting with you]
1. Sex
If someone around you says something, try to find a hidden meaning that can be related to sex. And answer back to the question or the comment keeping the sexual reference in mind.
It doesn’t have to be obvious, but others have to get what you mean. When you do this right, you’re not being crass or perverted, you’re just making a statement. It’s someone else’s dirty mind that’s doing all the imagining!
2. Sarcasm
This is where you answer a question back with a serious face, but you say something that’s actually really funny. [Read: Dry sense of humor – what it is and 20 signs you’re too dry and funny]
3. Self-deprecation
This isn’t one of the best types of humor to use, but it does work. This is the kind of humor where you put yourself down in front of someone else in a funny way, especially when you’ve done something wrong. Think Hugh Grant in all his funny chick flicks and you’ll know what we mean.
But a word of caution here, use self-deprecating humor only around people you’re close to, or others may think you’re a weak character who has low self-esteem and can be pushed around.
After all, you can’t constantly push yourself down and expect others to think you’re a class act. [Read: How to attract a girl using self-deprecating humor]
The kinds of humor to avoid
If you’re trying to be funny, you can say whatever you like, but try to avoid crossing the thin line which can make your joke go from funny to uncomfortable.
1. Demeaning jokes
Don’t ridicule someone else in a conversation just to make others laugh.
It may work for a line or two, but others around you may just start to feel awkward about the whole thing very soon. This works in standup comedy, and not always in real life.
2. Mimicry
Mimicking a friend who’s not around may be a laugh at first. But others may think of you as a rude person who doesn’t care about other people’s feelings.
It’s just not funny, unless that person you’re making fun of is around and able to defend themselves by mimicking you or ridiculing you back in return. [Read: Is your negative thinking ruing your life?]
Don’t flog the dead horse
Don’t be predictable or crave for attention by joking around all the time. There’s nothing worse than a funny person whose jokes are way too obvious.
You don’t need to make the whole room laugh all the time. At times, it’s okay to sit down quietly. You’re not a standup comedian on heat, you know?
Be funny when you see the opportunity, but don’t sit on the edge of the seat and constantly try to say something funny all the time. A funny conversationalist makes the room laugh now and then, a wannabe standup comedian looks for ways to keep the room in splits all the time. [Read: 20 funny compliments you can use to make anyone smile and laugh]
Don’t give up
This is the most important tip you need to remember. We must all learn to walk before we can run. And just like that, you’ll learn to get funnier as time goes by.
Don’t be disheartened if your funny lines don’t work at first or if some people don’t get your jokes.
Even the funniest of people could be stuck in the middle of lifeless company now and then. Recollect your lines when you get back home and see if you said something offending. Learn from your mistakes, and you’ll get better with every passing day.
[Read: 134 very smart and funny would you rather questions that’ll leave everyone ROLF]
The final word, remember that learning how to be funny isn’t just about repeating a silly line now and then. It’s about changing your whole personality to become a funnier person whose company is enjoyed by everyone around. Use these tips and you’ll definitely be able to do just that!
