Stop Taking Things So Seriously: A Hilarious Story About Wardrobe Failures, Art Museums, & Having More Fun

In this episode, you are going to learn the art of having more fun.

I share a hilarious story about a major wardrobe malfunction with you and two podcast crew members.

You’ll laugh along at all the ridiculous details, but the takeaway is serious:

Learning how to laugh at yourself is a superpower, and research says people who have a sense of humor are more respected and are viewed as more confident and intelligent by their peers.

Today you’ll learn: 

• How having fun in life is an art form
• How to turn something embarrassing into something hilarious and relatable
• How humor increases power and status
• Why it’s important to not take yourself too seriously
• How to create a bond and change the tone in any social situation
• Why it’s imperative to never buy a bodysuit that is too small

Seriously? You need to laugh more. Let’s start today.

Xo Mel

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In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 01:26: The best feeling in the world: taking your bra off at the end of the day
• 3:52: Chris tells us what the equivalent feeling is for men.
• 5:33: The major wardrobe failure I had yesterday.
• 9:23: Pro tip: always test drive a cool outfit before an event (especially if it includes shapewear).
• 12:09: The worst wedgie that I have ever had. 
• 14:41: I can’t believe I just admitted this, but don’t we all do this?
• 19:20: How turning something embarrassing into something hilarious and relatable tightens bonds.
• 21:18: Let everyone in on the joke, it will change the dynamic.
• 22:24: My ultimate moment of relief.
• 26:22: How turning something embarrassing into something hilarious and relatable tightens bonds. 
• 31:09:Why does Amy do stand-up comedy, and can you develop a sense of humor at any point?
• 33:52: According to research, the funnier the person, the more respect and power you hold. 
• 38:08: I invite you to do this one thing: laugh at yourself.

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Resources and go deeper:

• For Closed Captions: Watch on YouTube and turn on “CC.” For instructions to turn on closed captions, click here.

• The photo of me in the parking lot that I mentioned in the episode.
• Sara Blakely, entrepreneur and founder of Spanx.
• Skims (the brand mentioned in the episode – not sponsored!)
• The Institute of Contemporary Art
• The Mel Robbins Podcast: 4 Simple Ways to Stop Giving a Sh*t About What Other People Think of You.
• Harvard Business Review: How to be funny at work.
• Frontiers in Psychology: Humor in workplace leadership.
• Big Think: Why a good sense of humor is an essential life skill.
• Berkeley: How a little humor can improve your life.
• London School of Economics: Not a joke: leveraging humour at work increases performance, individual happiness, and psychological safety.
• World Economic Forum: Why a sense of humor is an essential life skill.
• University of Central Florida: Self-deprecation and the skill of humor.
• Stanford: Humor is serious business.