Im too ‘serious’ right now – how do I stop being a bore?

Im too serious right now because of where I am right now in life, I have a lot of stress and responsibility in life right now ever since covid hit. I’m working 40hr weeks and barely have time to make for friends. Ive gotten real with my self and realized Im going to have to do this for at least the next 3-4 years before i can take my feet off the gas.

When covid hit I didnt really see friends at all for nearly a year(lost all my social skills), I graduated college and now have a kid and many bills and other familial responsibilities and I’ve started working non stop and still barely see my friends.

I used to be very buoyant and light, always joking around (and even won most friendly in highschool) but now my life is completely different than it was then I know I’m not the person I was in highschool/college, and I dont expect to go back to that. But I just want to go back to enjoying socializing and or atleast not feeling like Im being drained from social interactions and/or draining the life out of social groups im in

I realized I dont have the comebacks i used to have because i guess i take things more ‘seriously’ – best example is banter. Im annoyed by banter a lot of times because in a sense i dont enjoy it or im not good at it, and I dont like how some people keep the banter going and going. I just zone out at times honestly, and then I feel like they can see that see right into me and I go into my turtle shell in a sense. And I’ve realized im “turning into my parents” the topics i actually engage in is topics like the housing market, bills, career choices, current issues but not current events, popculture, shows, or other topics that aren’t so serious

I should also add a HUGE factor in this equation is that since covid hit I’ve shaved my head completely to get ahead of my eventual male pattern baldness that started toward the end of college and on top of that Im in the worst shape of my life. I also feel very financially insecure because im currently living pay check to paycheck and feel like im barely staying afloat while it “seems” like my other friends are doing very well. Also been working as a waiter, a 5guys employee, and ubering on the weekends because i cant find a job in my field and I get embarrassed to talk about that and actively avoid the conversation about employment. Ive been working on my insecurities of being bald by throwing away all my hats, and putting my self out there hanging out with all my old friends to show off my new beautiful bald head and going to clubs and events with friends with out a hat, and have been going back to the gym more consistently

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How do i lighten up

how do I muster up the energy to talk about normal everyday things and not only talk about “grown up things” like bills, and career goals.

how do i get better at banter

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THANK YOU!