Life is always challenging and often difficult.

It does not matter who you are. Affluent people have some aspects of life easier than others. But, as long as you do everything that humans do, you’re going to experience challenges and difficulties.

The big question, then, is: what do we do? Or, more specifically, do we react or respond?

When we take responsibility for our lives, we learn that there is a space between what happens to us and what we do about it.

That space between stimulus and response is where wisdom and maturity lie.

Maturity and our ability to respond to situations, not just react to them, go together.

Maturity and this ability to respond bring perspective. And, perspective, in turn, changes how we see these challenges and difficulties.

I have often wondered if there is a shortcut to perspective.

There isn’t, of course. Not in the way we think of shortcuts, life does not deal with narrow passages [i.e alleyways makgowa eish :)].

But, keeping a sense of humor is a trait I have found particularly helpful in ensuring perspective.

Humour has a magical ability to bring perspective to any situation.

I am not naturally pre-disposed to humour as I grew up taking things very seriously. But, years of perspective and being surrounded by a couple of people who looked for the humour in the situation has slowly changed me.

I have realised over the years that we all take our thoughts too damn seriously. Nearly everything that happens to us is not a matter of life and death.

So, when things are not going your way, we should try to relax, find reasons to smile and, in that process, get perspective.

I still don’t naturally find humour in most situation. But, I have begun looking for it. That’s been a game changer and I’m hoping I continue to do that.