Western Vitality

Stop being so serious.

I grew up in a super serious household. No jokes, no playing around when the adults were around, and definitely no taking up space. My parents were the “get the job done without a smile” type, and naturally, I became the same way. It felt like we were always in trouble for something. We didn’t laugh or play together much because there was always some drama—someone left the milk out, broke a plate, was yelling too loud, or didn’t clean up their craft mess. Basically, if you weren’t doing something wrong, you just hadn’t been caught yet. And for the longest time, I thought this was normal.

I was also exhausted as a kid. Every car ride, every chance to sit down, I was out like a light. But even being tired got me in trouble. “Why are you tired? You got 8 hours of sleep!” Or, “Wake up, Karlee!” My stepmom wasn’t exactly the gentlest peach in the orchard. She had her own battles, but that’s another story.

Anyway, there was a lot of yelling and crying in our house, but not much peace, play, or laughter. I grew up without a sense of humor, and my social skills? Nonexistent. I didn’t know how to joke or have fun because everything felt so heavy. Every little mistake was treated like a catastrophe.

Then I met my husband. The complete opposite of serious. This man can laugh and have a good time just about anywhere. And you know what? I was jealous. Still kinda am. But I eventually realized that being serious all the time is exhausting. I mean, being upset over every tiny thing? It’s a miserable way to live. You end up trapped in your own head, unable to enjoy anything. Life is too short for that.

We’re lucky if we get 80 years on this planet. Some of us are halfway there already. Why waste all that time being serious? What’s the point of living if you can’t enjoy the ride? I ask myself these questions often, especially when I catch myself slipping back into old habits. But I can tell you, I enjoy life so much more now that I’ve let some of that seriousness go.

Here’s the thing—when you take life too seriously, you start playing the victim. Everything’s always wrong, and those people? They’re not fun to be around. They’re energy drainers. Don’t be that person. Be the one who lights up a room, who makes people feel your joy for life the moment you walk in. Because honestly, life’s a lot better when you learn to laugh at the little things.