Itās ok that Iām not that funny. Just because Iāve listened to comedians on THWoD doesnāt mean I have to be one.
Iāve mentioned a few times, and will again, that my current favorite podcast is The Hilarious World of Depression. Many of the guests have been comedians and have talked about dealing with their mental health through comedy.
The more I listened to comedians grappling with their mental health, the more I thought I should become a comedian too. I even told my wife that was my new life planāto do stand-up comedy. It seemed like the logical next step. There was only one problem.
Iām not that funny.
I can get some laughs occasionally. I teach at a programming boot camp, and I often say something that is funny enough for the students to laugh. And that feeling! When I say something that connects with people, something inside me is filled I didnāt know was empty.
At the same time, I recognize that I am not naturally funny. My wife is, however. Without much effort, she says and writes things that make people laugh. As a child, I was never particularly funny. I knew people who were, but I was never comfortable enough with myself for that kind of attention.
This doesnāt mean I wonāt ever try stand-up. Iām intrigued by improv. There seem to be many associated benefits, and it is scary enough that I think I should give it a go.
The key has been coming to terms with myself as I am now and being content with that. I donāt have to reinvent myself. I also donāt need to hold myself back from exploring desires or dreams that I have. If I want to pursue comedy, I can. But I donāt have to in order to be happy with who I am. I am valuable just as I am right now.