I’ve been paying attention recently to what happens when we, individually or collectively, slip into taking ourselves just a bit too seriously. You can feel it in a room. Everything tightens. The energy shifts. People start choosing their words instead of sharing their thinking.​

​And it’s rarely because anyone is trying to be difficult.

It’s usually because we care. We want to do a good job. We want to be seen as capable, credible, and ‘on it.’​

But seriousness can quietly turn into armour. And once the armour is on, connection becomes harder. Creativity shrinks. Humour disappears. And the work feels heavier than it needs to.​

​What I’ve noticed, in myself and in the groups I work with, is that the moment we lighten up, even slightly, something opens.​

​Not silliness. Not dismissing the importance of the work. Just a softening and a willingness to be human.​

It could be a smile that breaks the tension. A moment of shared laughter. A simple, “I don’t know, but let’s explore it together.”​

​When we relax, others relax. When we show we’re human, we give everyone else permission to be human, too. And that’s when the good stuff happens such as trust, ideas, connection, and momentum.​

​So, I’m asking myself more often:​

🤔 What are the signals my body gives to me that I’m taking myself too seriously?

🤔 How can I break the tension in that moment?​

🤔 Where am I gripping too tightly?

🤔 What might shift if I loosened my hold by even 5%?​

​I’d invite you to be a good observer of yourself in the week ahead and notice one moment where you could lighten up a little.

I think you may be surprised by how much more ease, creativity, and connection becomes possible when you do.​