Here’s one thing I’ve learned over the years: if you learn to laugh at yourself, you’ll find a lot more humor in life. I like to laugh, and the older I get, the more I’m inclined to laugh at my own mistakes.

The Bible says laughter is good medicine. I think the Proverbs 31 woman was able to laugh at the future because she knew enough to find humor in her own gaffes. People who take themselves too seriously weigh on others. Instead, let your humor be that shot in the arm that lightens their steps, right?

Every once in a while, I’ll do something funny enough to share with others. Go ahead! Laugh at my airheadedness! It’s got healing properties.

Twice in the span of a few weeks, I was a comic in my own mind.

The first one involved my curly often out-of-control hair. The other day, I swear I looked like BTTF’s Doc Brown, only dyed blonde.  Daughter Anna showed me a can of dry shampoo that she’d quit using because it wasn’t dry enough. A few days later, I wanted to try it to see if it would help tame my wild locks in between real shampoos. I went to the girls’ bathroom and grabbed the can of spray, shook it vigorously and spritzed my hair. It wasn’t too wet and toned down the frizz. A pretty good solution, I thought. No wonder people like this stuff. I used it probably half a dozen times.

Several weeks later, Anna asked me to buy her some more dry shampoo, and I told her I’d been using her old stuff and found it still worked okay. She picked up the can on my bathroom counter, looked at it and said, “This is not shampoo, it’s deodorant.”

No wonder I’d had such a hard time washing my hair after using the spray! I bust out with the best deep belly laugh I’d had in ages. Of course, my teenager thought I was crazy–bonus! Moms of teens, embrace that super power.

In my defense, if you look at this picture, the two cans look very similar. Also, if you are

Dry spray could be interpreted a couple of ways!

late 40s or older, you will understand that I’m really not reading a lot of fine print and directions like I used to. Most of the time, I just wing it. That way, I hardly ever need my reading glasses…

The second instance may also have been attributable to difficulty reading small print, but more likely, I was just in a hurry.

Hubby Shawn was in D.C. to give a presentation on a big project he’s leading at work. That morning, I grabbed my phone and texted “Praying for you. Love you!” and hit send. Seconds later, I heard the buzz for an incoming message.

My boss, Alice, texted me “What’s up?”

Okay, I think you can see where I’m going here. I’d just professed my love to my boss. Fortunately, she has a good sense of humor.

In my ladies’ Bible study last week, Beth Moore talked about not being a poser and not falling for posers in this information age.  During my Tuesday morning run, I happened to listen to Michael Hyatt’s podcast and his co-host, Michele Cushatt was sharing what she learned about the transforming power of suffering while battling cancer. She said, “Perfection never creates connection.”

Who are we trying to impress with our Pinterest perfection? Let’s get real, people, and tell others what’s on our hearts, be it deep pain or just silly embarrassment.

Today, that means to me,

embrace your inner goofball

and the gift of laughter as you share those moments with others.

Now where did I put that deodorant?