Lockdown Day 25:  RULE NUMBER 6

Twenty-five days gone; ten days left (if everything goes according to plan). In any ‘normal’ household where families have rediscovered what it means to be locked-up and locked-together during a lock-down, irritations are probably reaching a high at this point. You would probably like to put your spouse and children up for sale at this stage.  Today might be a good day to take a step back, take a deep breath and remember RULE #6.

I heard about RULE #6 after listening to a video clip by Conductor Benjamin Zander.  It is a simple RULE – and, by the way, there is no rule number 5 nor is there a rule number 7, just a RULE #6.  There is only one foundational principle in this rule:  “DON’T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY!” If any unnecessary or petty conflict arises in a family, family members simply need to say to one another: “REMEMBER RULE #6!”

The ability to look at ourselves through ‘light-hearted’ lenses will draw people closer to us. At the same time, it will help us to respond more kindly and less aggressive to stressful situations.

But once again, the challenge is in the balance. In life, there exists a healthy yet fine balance between taking life seriously without taking oneself too seriously. Relaxing in who you are while responding to the urgency of the times we live in are not two opposing virtues but two building blocks to be an effective ambassador of the Kingdom. But the two should never be confused. Maturity is not only finding the balance between relaxation and exigency but understanding the difference.

People who take themselves too seriously become obnoxious, aggressive, and extremely self-centred. Every molehill in life becomes an Everest to conquer and every opportunity is seen as a personal threat. These people agonise over small decisions, worry about personal interactions, wrestle with each word of a simple text and feel insecure in every relationship.

The other side of the coin is equally problematic. People who take life too lightly remains childish and immature. Everything is a joke, nothing is taken seriously and there is no commitment, endurance, and perseverance. Life is one big playground, and instead of becoming an agent of change, they fall into a frivolous lifestyle.

“Laughter is the best medicine” is only true when we obtain the ability to laugh at ourselves and with others, never the other way around. Understanding our own fallibilities and being able to find the humour therein helps us shift our perspectives and changes our moods. Research confirms that laughter relaxes the muscles, boosts the immune system, releases endorphins, decreases stress hormones and increases blood flow to the heart.

So, for the rest of the lock-down – regardless of how long it will be – remember rule #6, laugh at yourself and stay safe