Want Serious Change? Then Don't Take Yourself So Seriously!

Georgina Brown (hershe)
Jul 10
3 min read

Why Joy, Jokes, and a Bit of Brainy Nonsense Might Be the Most Inclusive Tool of All

One of the best lessons my dad ever taught me?

“Don’t take yourself too seriously, you’ll always be an idiot in someone’s eyes.”

Honestly? It’s saved me more times than any self-help book ever could.

Because in a world of LinkedIn posturing, corporate jargon, and 92-slide training decks, remembering to laugh, especially at yourself, is what keeps you real. It keeps you human. And, as it turns out, it also keeps your brain in its best learning state.

In fact, if you want someone to remember something, really remember it, try embedding it in a meme, a song, or a shared belly laugh. That works better than a 97-slide deck or a policy document that reads like it was written in 1973.

Why?

Because memory lives in connection, not compliance.

Let’s Get Dendritic

Our brains are made up of billions of neurons. These neurons connect through tiny, branch-like structures called dendrites, and every time we associate a new piece of information with something familiar or emotionally resonant, those dendrites throw a little party and build a bridge.

The more bridges? The easier the learning sticks.

So when you link a new idea to colour, music, emotion, humour, or movement, you create more hooks for the brain to hang it on.

That’s why kids learn to count faster when it’s sung in a catchy tune with rainbow numbers than when it’s dry repetition from a worksheet.

And why you’ll still remember the tune to “I like to move it, move it”… but can’t recall the GDPR clause you signed off on last week.

NIMM: Neuroscience With a Wink

At BARDO, we’ve built the Neuro-Inclusive Maturity Model (NIMM) not just with strategy and science, but with fun. Because fun isn’t fluff. Its function. It creates the neurochemical cocktail (dopamine, oxytocin, even a splash of adrenaline) that makes the brain want to learn, want to connect, and want to stay open.

So yes, we’re about behaviour change, equity, and systemic transformation.

But we’re also about this:

Disarming the threat response with joy
Making the complex digestible through metaphor and play
And keeping humans feeling like humans, not compliance robots.

Three Delightfully Silly (and Shockingly Effective) Learning Tools in NIMM

Here’s how we sneak a little brain-friendly nonsense into our learning environments:

1. NeuroNudges™ – Rhyming One-Liners That Stick

We've created a suite of sticky little rhymes that highlight common inclusion pitfalls and how to rewire them. Think Dr. Seuss meets System 2 Thinking.

Example Neuro-Nudges:

If your brain is on speed, it’s not time to lead.
When threats are in the air, connection needs care.
Bias gets loud when silence is allowed.
If you always assume, you’ll miss what’s in bloom.

Why it works:

Rhymes activate phonological loops = better memory
They feel light, not preachy
You can use them as:
- Animated title cards
- Course section intros
- Desktop/mobile wallpapers
- Stickers & merch!

2. Songs That Sneak Into Your Subconscious

We’ve turned parts of the NIMM framework into little musical brainworms. There’s a song to remember Delta behaviours (interrupt, observe, shift) that we may or may not have set to the rhythm of Destiny’s Child.

Why it works:

Music triggers both hemispheres of the brain, boosts dopamine, and anchors info to rhythm. (Ever wonder why you still remember the lyrics to a jingle from 1998?)

3. Brain Games That Reveal Bias in Real Time

Instead of pointing fingers, we use cognitive illusions, reaction time tasks, and playful social games to help people spot their own bias and brain habits, then laugh about it. Together.

Why it works:

Games activate pattern recognition, surprise, and the social bonding centres of the brain. Plus, people are more willing to own their blind spots when they’re not being blamed, just invited to play.

TL;DR?

Humour isn’t a distraction.

Joy isn’t unprofessional.

And if your inclusion training doesn’t make people smile and squirm just a little, it might not be landing in the brain at all.

Let’s stop making learning feel like punishment.

Let’s wire for wonder.

Because real change doesn’t come from taking ourselves more seriously, it comes from taking the science of connection seriously.

So, next time you want someone to remember your inclusion message?

Try a meme.

Try a song.

Try letting them laugh their way into their own rewiring.

The brain will thank you for it.

And the culture?

It’ll shift faster than you think.

PS: Yes, I really do have a NIMM playlist. No, you can’t judge me for what’s on it. (Unless you also love 00s R&B and musicals about psychological safety!)