Allow yourself to be stupid!
With an absurd poem from 1959
Ever find yourself trying so hard to be perfect or have all the answers? What if, instead of stressing over it, we embraced being ‘stupid’ sometimes? Not in a self-deprecating way, but as an invitation to get playful, curious, and yes - make mistakes.
One of our contributors offers this wisdom: “Allow yourself to be stupid, if you can learn something”. So, let’s give it a go!
Start by reading "On the Ning Nang Nong", a delightfully absurd poem by comedian and writer Spike Milligan from 1959:
On the Ning Nang Nong, Where the cows go Bong! And the monkeys all say Boo! There's a Nong Nang Ning, Where the trees go Ping! And the tea pots jibber jabber joo! On the Nong Ning Nang, All the mice go Clang, And you just can't catch 'em when they do! So its Ning Nang Nong, Cows go Bong! Nong Nang Ning, Trees go ping! Nong Ning Nang, The mice go Clang, What a noisy place to belong is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!
Can you feel it? The wild, wacky freedom that comes with being silly? Try it once more, a level up if you may. Read the entire verse in one breath!
Pause for a second
Think of a part of your life where you feel pressure to have it all figured out. What if you tackled it with the same playful spirit as this poem?
Maybe you already embrace a little silliness—at work, with friends, or just by yourself. Who do you feel most comfortable being your goofy, unfiltered self around?
And if you’re up for it, scribble down a silly little poem of your own. No rules, no pressure - just play!
Next time Mr. Perfection creeps in with “this makes no sense!”, let the hums of Ning Nang Nong soften that voice. Lean into the messiness, and who knows? You might just discover something new about yourself.
Stay silly,
Team FUEL.
P.S. Want to explore this idea even further? Check out the Twice as Wise episode on YouTube!