Laugh Out Loud ~ lol

It is said that “Laughter is the Best Medicine”. I was having a more than usual stressed out day this past week and I searched myself mindfully for the anecdote. At first I released myself with some deep breathes in coming and out going; about five or so minutes. As I was sitting at my desk, I opened the drawer and before me, as if planned for this moment, is the magazine ‘Ode for intelligent optimists’. The entire magazine is on the topic of laughter. I thought to myself “how about that…with a chuckle coming from the inside out. The more I read about laughter the more I felt better in the moment. I became mentally unwound and I began to feel a shift in my mood and my thinking. It even offered a; start laughing out loud right now exercise for the moment! I tried it and I ended up laughing at myself pretty hard lol.

The following is a section from ‘Ode for intelligent optimists’, the article is called;

An Anatomy Of Risibility


(The article is written by: Blaine Greteman; teaches at Oklahoma State University, where he gets plenty of derisive laughs from his students).

Belly Laugh: involuntary and intoxicating paroxysm that bypasses the laughter centers of the brain to go directly to the funny bone, in the vicinity of the solar plexus.

Cackle: Especially pronounced in cartoon witches and villains, this rapid-fire vocalization builds to a crescendo of malevolent delight.

Chuckle: Brief aspirated trisyllables (“he-he-he” or “ha-ha-ha”) with connotations of assent, grandfatherly approval or, more often, total incomprehension.

Contemptuous Laugh: A specialty of the bully, the mocking “ha ha” (“harrumph” among the upper classes) communicated the worthlessness of an idea or person. May be acoustically identical to other laughs but is perceived differently by the apparent object of scorn.

Existential Laugh: Typically, a subdued laugh that occurs in moments that may seem inappropriate on the surface, such as discussions of death, taxes, general decrepitude or receding hairlines.

Giggle: Trilling, high-pitched vocalization produced by constriction of the larynx. Traditionally pathologized in males (see Herbert, George, c. 1620: “The giggler is a milkmaid”) but potentially desirable in females (see Lewis, jerry lee, c. 1958: “A wiggle in her walk and a giggle in her talk makes the world go ‘round”).

Guffaw: Explosive outburst often accompanied by extreme bodily contortion (head thrown back, body doubled over) that may end in a chortle or snort.

Nervous Laugh: Brief, staccato bursts that accompany embarrassing situations (“Was that your cat I just ran over?”) or awkward inquiries (“Do I look fat in this?”)

Revolutionary Laugh: The vocal equivalent of extending your middle finger to those in power.

Satirical Laugh: Wry, knowing, critical laugh that seems to say, “If I weren’t laughing right now, I’d be weeping.”

Social Laugh: An invitation to socialize, in females, typically son-like, in males, typically ape-like.

“The laugh and its specific acoustics can communicate a whole variety of meanings, derisive and contemptuous, modest and embarressed, and down the line” – Dacher Keitner, psychology professor, University of California, Burkeley.

So lets the words speak for themselves and lets everyone go the the last laugh…until it hurts!

…Sending big huge giggles and chuckles your way for your Day!

Charlene

Flowing Decisions ~

Coping with everyday life can sometimes catch us at a crossroads of decision making. I have to remind myself that I get to choose how I am going to react to the circumstances and people I find myself involved with. It can be difficult to stay focused on the positive, when the people around us are negative, but, we still get to choose how we will react on the inside of our own thinking.
One of the coping skills that I work on is learning to stay in the truth. Denying that it is upsetting does not make it go away. I accept that the person or the circumstance feels crappy; and then, now what? I get to choose what I am going to do with this feeling. I can turn it into negative feedback on myself and feel justified in complaining about the person or the circumstance; this still does not make it go away.
What I can do is: I accept; it is what it is. I then move my thinking to the next stage. I choose not to take it personally and I accept the truth. I can't change people or circumstances but I sure can change how I am going to absorb it. This is where true personal power shows up and gives space for universal energy to work its magic in spite of the negative. Going with flow is like a river moving down stream; just flow and release, loose and let go. As I accept, I let go; and as I let go; I feel the flow of my inner being relaxing and feeling free. My responsive thoughts have chosen to be positive and peace follows.