Today I was watching Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (The third movie in the series and my favourite one).
There is a scene where students learn to face boggarts. Creatures that transform into whatever you fear the most. The lesson is simple. To defeat them, you must make them ridiculous. Turn them funny. Laugh at them. Strip them of their power. Even the spell is also 'Riddikulus' to deal with them.
And I paused.
Because something about that felt familiar.
A few days ago, I had been listening to one of Mitesh Khatri’s podcasts. He mentioned a technique to deal with toxic people. Imagine them as clowns. Or jokers. Picture them saying their harsh or hurtful words in a silly voice. Visualize their seriousness dissolving into something absurd.
It sounded lighthearted at the time.
But suddenly, watching that scene, it clicked in a deeper way.
Two very different worlds.
One fictional. One psychological.
Yet the message was the same.
Fear and hurt lose power when we stop giving them emotional authority.
Why Negative Words Hit So Deep
When someone says something unkind, our mind does not just hear words.
It assigns weight. Meaning. Personal relevance.
We internalize tone, amplify intention and create narratives.
A single comment can echo longer than a hundred compliments. Especially if it touches a sensitive part of our identity.
This is not weakness.
It is how the human mind processes threat.
The Power of Changing Inner Imagery
What fascinated me about both the boggart lesson and the podcast insight is this.
Neither suggests confronting aggressively.
Neither promotes suppressing emotion.
They offer a third option.
Transform perception.
When you imagine a harsh critic dressed like a circus clown, or speaking like a cartoon villain, something shifts internally.
The body relaxes.
The sting softens.
The authority dissolves.
You are no longer reacting from intimidation.
You are observing from distance.
This is not denial.
This is cognitive reframing.
Emotional Distance Is Not Emotional Coldness
Sometimes we believe that reacting strongly proves sincerity. That absorbing everything shows maturity.
But emotional distance can be wisdom.
Not every voice deserves to shape your self-image.
Not every opinion requires internal processing.
Not every negative interaction deserves seriousness.
Turning something ridiculous is not escapism.
It is boundary setting within your mind.
Why Humor Disarms the Nervous System
Humor does something extraordinary to the body.
It interrupts stress signals.
It breaks tension cycles.
It reduces perceived threat.
When you laugh, even internally, your nervous system receives a different message.
You are safe.
You are in control.
You are not under attack.
This is why something as simple as a mental image can reshape emotional response.
Applying This in Real Life
This does not mean dismissing serious issues or tolerating harmful behavior.
Boundaries still matter.
Communication still matters.
Distance still matters.
But for moments where words linger longer than they should, this approach offers relief.
Next time someone’s negativity replays in your mind, try this:
Imagine them with exaggerated expressions.
Picture them delivering their lines dramatically.
Visualize something absurd.
Not to mock.
But to reclaim emotional space.
Realization
Watching that scene reminded me that wisdom appears in unexpected places.
In stories meant for children.
In casual podcast conversations.
In small moments of connection between ideas.
Sometimes the mind does not need solutions.
It needs perspective.
And perspective can arrive disguised as humor.
Conclusion
Fear, criticism, and harshness often appear larger than they truly are because we allow them seriousness.
But when we change the frame, we change the feeling.
Maybe the lesson is not about ignoring darkness.
Maybe it is about refusing to let it define the atmosphere of our inner world.
Sometimes healing looks like strength.
Sometimes it looks like boundaries.
And sometimes, surprisingly,
it looks like laughter.
Comments
Post a Comment