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Sometimes
a vanity license plate is more than a personal statement.
It delivers an uplifting message.
Recently, I felt inspired by such a message.
It was mid-afternoon.
An accident strangled traffic for blocks. Traffic was not
moving. Time was ticking away. I knew I was going to be
late for my next appointment.
As I scouped through
a seemingly bottomless pit of items in my handbag while
searching for my cell phone, the North Carolina
license plate of a black BMW SUV caught my attention—WISHUJOY.
It took a minute for
this mirth-making message to sink in. Then,
a smile stretched across my face, a giggle gurgled from
deep inside of me, and a sense of well-being came over me.
As I relaxed into the moment, no longer
anxious about being stuck in traffic, I noticed an exit
ramp. I laughed out loud and
felt joy. I bailed out of traffic.
Laughter is
an expression of our inner joy. It helps us reconnect
with an everlasting presence of joy that dwells within each
of us. It brings forth our childlike exuberance.
Life becomes an adventure filled with discovery,
awe and wonder.
This holiday season,
you too can escape from an expressway of stress and anxiety.
Make a commitment to yourself
that you will choose only those activities that fill you
with enthusiasm, excitement and positive expectancy.
That may mean choosing not to participate in activities
that feel like an obligation. It
may mean changing the way you respond to family patterns.
It may mean saying no.
Here are some questions
I use to help me choose my holiday activities:
•
Will I be surrounded by people who embrace life joyously?
• Will I
feel energized and uplifted?
• Is it fun?
This holiday season,
give yourself a priceless gift. Give
yourself permission to experience joy.
My holiday wish for
you is straight from a vanity license plate – WISHUJOY!
P.S. Remember, let
laughter be a part of all your activities. C’mon,
Let’s Laugh!
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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.