Helena Kennedy knows that humour can be used to level the playing field. Helena did not come from a privileged background yet through hard work, humanity and humour she has managed to go from the tough tenements of Glasgow to the House of Lords. Humour can be a wonderful to get rapport with people at every level in society. It can be a ladder to help you laugh your way to the top.
Helena Kennedy has built a career by levelling the playing field for both herself and those she fights for. As a young person, Helena came from humble beginnings and had to use her humour and her wit to build her own resilience. It was this resilience that propelled her into a future as a Member of the House of Lords, a barrister, and champion of women’s rights across the globe.
Kennedy has stared the horrors of humanity in the face. During her time as a barrister, she faced crimes of all sorts and was confronted with the worst that humans are capable of. How did she push through the difficult times and keep moving forward? A sense of humour, of course! Helena knows that in order to survive in difficult situations, everyone needs a good and robust sense of humour.
“Survival is in finding that bit of ourselves that has lightness in it, and to bring light into dark places, and humour does that.”
Helena has had the opportunity to fight for the rights of others who are disadvantaged across the globe. During her time on The Humourology Podcast, Helena discussed a time when she was able to help women escape a dangerous situation in Afghanistan. She shares the humour and the lightness of these women in the face of difficult times.
For Helena, this is just one more reminder of just how important humour is when it comes to keeping your humanity through difficult times.
Throughout Helena’s life she has learned that there is nothing more human than humour. When it comes to bringing people together to fight for what is right, Helena knows that humour can bridge the gap. Communication is not nearly effective without the ability to share laughter and lightness.
“I mean, humour is something that I think is so central to the human condition.”
Helena accredits much of her professional success to her humble beginnings and her sense of humour. Helena has led with lightness and laughter in the fight for human rights. Instead of chasing more financially advantageous routes in her younger years, Helena focused on the one thing she knew she must fight for, human rights. Her sense of humour allowed her to hold on to hope as she put humans first.
“I do think that it’s a strand of our humaneness, that we, in order to deal with the hard stuff, we reach for humour to kind of live in it.”
Helena knows just how powerful humour can be in the courts. From captivating the jury to dealing with difficult cases with lightness, Helena knows that those who can approach their career with a sense of humour can build connections and resilience. Whether in her career in the courts or her fights for human rights, Helena says that humour is a tool that she is always ready to use.
Helena is a beacon of light in the protection of human rights.
Hear her story on this week’s episode of The Humourology Podcast. Learn how you can use humour to even the playing field and push through the difficult times. See how humour can help you hold on to hope and create connections that make it easier to lead with lightness.
Join us this week on an unforgettable and an unmissable episode of The Humourology Podcast with Helena Kennedy and Paul Boross.
You can find out more about Helena on her Website
You can buy Helena’s books at all good bookshops or here on Amazon
Here are useful Links to organisations that Helena Kennedy works with and supports
I loved every moment spent speaking to Helena. She has achieved so much in life – being a leading barrister and an expert in human rights law, civil liberties and constitutional issues as well as being a member of the House of Lords. However, her humility, humanity, honesty, and humour make her one of the most down to earth people you could ever hope to meet.
This is the first of two episodes that helped me learn and laugh a lot so I hope that you will enjoy the experience as much as I did.
If you enjoy the interview, please take a moment to like, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
See you next Tuesday.
Warmest,
Paul x
