|
“By a wave of
fans, how many of you have heard that laughter is the best
medicine?” It was my opening line for a “Take
Time to Laugh & Prevent Hardening of the Attitudes”
session conducted aboard Celebrity Cruise Line’s Horizon.
The laughter club session was part of a personal
development program presented recently to Rotarians, spouses
and guests participating in the inaugural Rotary
District #7690 annual Fellowship at Sea, sponsored by Summit
Rotary Club.
Wow, what a response
I got. With nearly 20 percent of all clubs throughout the
district represented, a sea
of “I’m a fan of laughter” fans filled
the air. The group was ready to laugh!
A siren of hee-hee’s,
ha-ha’s, ho-ho’s swelled across the deck during
our simulated laughter exercises. We laughed all
kinds of laughs—“High
Five, Near Miss Greeting,” “Airline Safety,”
and “Hurricane High Water.” Our
laughter sparked group camaraderie and captivated the attention
of other cruisers. The inclusive
nature of laughter enshrouded us all as we sailed gleefully
toward Bermuda.
  
You, too, can experience
laughter’s positive effect, even if you’re not
sailing the high seas. Here are two tips to help you get
started:
 ·
Smile, especially when you
don’t feel like it. Your body chemistry
changes for the better. Soon you’ll feel better because
motion creates emotion. Plus, you may be giving someone
else a gift. Most smiles are started by another
smile.
· Forgive
yourself. Choose to let the past remain
in the past. Stop the ticker-tape of ceaseless negative
self-talk. Focus on being the best you can be in
the present. Ask yourself, “What
am I demonstrating by what I am doing or saying right now?”
If the answer is positive, congratulate yourself. If
the answer is negative, make a different choice.
Let
laughter throttle up your mood and generate positive energy.
C’mon, Let’s Laugh! |
Marilyn
Sprague-Smith,
M.Ed.,
is
an
award-winning
consultant,
trainer,
author,
professional
speaker,
and
certified
laughter
leader.
Through
her
consulting
and
training
firm
Miracles
&
Magic,
she
partners
with
individuals
and
organizations
seeking
a
catalyst
for
long-term
positive
change.
She
is
one
of
only
six
people
in
the
world
authorized
by
The
World
Laughter
Tour
to
deliver
laughter
leader
certification
training.
As
a
frequent
guest
on
National
Public
Radio’s
WFDD
88.5
FM
Real
People.
Real
Stories.
www.wfdd.org,
she
shares
true
stories
about
the
magic
of
laughter
and
the
sparkle
it
brings
to
relationships.