Laughing through the (fly) trap
I’m sitting here pondering what I want to share and realize that most everything has already been said! So then the question.... What exactly could I add? What would contribute or stir the thought processes in another’s lives? What came to me bubbled up.....
The human race has one really effective weapon,
and that is laughter.
-Mark Twain
LAUGHTER.... Laughter is what I would want to contribute, PRESCRIBE, and stir in to the mix as medicine to everyone’s life! Or perhaps even the understanding of how important laughter is to one’s wellness. Scientifically laughter seems to be the antidote to most situations. I view it as one of the most potent drugs, and it’s contagious:
It's a potent endorphin releaser
It fosters brain connectivity
It creates similar affects to an antidepressant – by releasing serotonin
And it has an anti-inflammatory effect on your heart and blood vessels
YES PLEASE, add to my cart!!!
In a lot of Indigenous cultures of South America, when they are physically injured – did you know they laugh instead of cry?? NOW I love to laugh and feel the levity. But does that mean I always feel like laughing? UMMMM...NO!!!! Yet, it always seems to be the thing that brings me back to centre, joy, or at least not feeling like I want to hide under my bed or run away to wonderland.
A few months back I was hosting a workshop at Star 6 Ranch, and about 10 minutes before everyone began to arrive I was putting tea on, and may have started feeling fussy. I had bent over and stood up quickly to find my freshly washed hair fully entangled with a fly tape.
Now, part of me wanted to freak out, as I had 45+ dead flies caught in my hair, with the gummy tape getting more embedded as I tried to release it. Everyone was soon arriving.... And I begged Chloe to cut my hair, or just rip it out... But alas, neither of us could do much as we were laughing so hard. I had been so focused on getting all the things JUST right...that life had me STOP and have a good belly LAUGH – relax, release and stop taking myself so
seriously!
Full disclosure: We did not cut it – we eventually figured out how to pull it out and then proceeded to try shake out the flies..... I still laugh about it!!! (Notice the black cat....and I dare you to say nothing about me being a witch!)
Now you may ask, How can you laugh when life seems to be pummelling me, with so many challenges?
Dr. Sue Mortimer teaches the following method for your mental health and your energy management: Being mindful to tell the pain story or situation only 3 times – then release it. Otherwise, she believes you start investing in the story of your pain instead of processing it. She suggests you tell your story:
1) Once From your PAIN
2) Second from the WISDOM you GAINED
3) Third from a perspective of HUMOUR
I am a verbal processor, so this is how I typically experience the above method:
a) I call my sister, and let the tears flow while I process the pain/trauma/injustice of life.
b) Organically. We move to her asking me or assisting me to reframe what I may be learning from this experience. (Sometimes this will be a separate phone call days later.)
c) Then, most often, we will be laughing about some aspect of this situation – quite quickly – even the hardest/darkest of times.
Journaling is another way that I may process and use this method. Although I prefer to have someone to laugh, with me, at my humour. I have to say - I love coming back to LAUGHTER, because life is so short, and as someone said to me: ”Are you dead? Then it’s not that serious."
Again, I don’t want to make light of deep pain, but sometimes we get caught in the trap (NO PUN INTENDED) of giving the situation/story more power than it needs. I would love to hear how you use or have used humour to reframe pain, or situations.
Rosie