LOL

Many of you know that several years ago one of my mentors suggested that I create a whole coaching business around “Get Your Laugh Back”. I totally got where she was coming from. I often have people tell me that I seem to have a “joie de vivre” and that spending time with me usually means having fun. You see, I don't want to be miserable. It's really that simple. Rather than look for the pitfalls I seek out ways to enjoy myself. I focus my attention and energy on the positive and draw it in whenever I can.

As this week's Pleasure Peek (via David Simon) stated:

"Laughter is a symptom of spirituality." This doesn't mean you have to go to church. It does mean that when you are able to get in touch with whatever it takes to make life meaningful, you will be able to relax enough to take time to laugh at and see what's funny.
"Laughter is the flow of love coursing through your body." Have you ever been in the middle of an argument with someone you love and all of a sudden, you realize the absurdity of it and start laughing? When we are not caught up in being right and when we have a strong, loving relationship with ourselves, we can step away from ridiculously silly disagreements and focus on what's really important.
"Laughter is the nectar of present moment awareness." When I teach Mindfulness, I do my best to bring in the humor around thinking we are still living in the past or projecting ourselves (through time travel?) into the future. The present is not only doable, it is delightful and delicious.
"Invite more laughter into your life and relish the magic in every moment." A couple of years ago, one of my dear readers sent me a message: "Sometimes when I'm swampy I remember to make myself remember something funny, a real LOL moment, and my mood shifts. It's like a magic charm." I loved that she shared that with me. Plus, it reminded me that there are different ways to "invite" laughter in.

* watch a funny movie

* read something amusing

* call up "that" friend who always shares a giggle or two and helps you see the comic side of whatever is going on

I once heard someone on NPR say that laughter means you are not defeated. This is really important when we're in challenging situations. Being able to see that it's not the end of the world and able to "grin and bear it" offers hope and a better direction for finding solutions.

"Is not amusement the very soul of life?"

- Frances Milton Trollope

When we laugh we engage, we participate. Even if we are simply remembering something funny, it is the memory of being part of an amusing situation. It helps us to feel fully alive.