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Saturday, November 9, 2013

The Power of Laughter

I am someone who LOVES to laugh.  I'm probably one of the few people that actually means it when I type, "LOL".  I love the deep in your belly laughs that you just can't keep inside.  I try and find humor in every situation and I believe that there is always a bright side.  For me, that's the only way one can push through life. 

My "real job" is working with children, actually, working with parents and adults who live/work with children; working with the children is a rare luxury for me it seems these days.  However, try spending a day with a child and not laughing.  Honestly, if you can really do that, WHERE IS YOUR SOUL?!?!  Children have a way of just seeing a situation for what it is, they don't over think it, they don't apologize for their silliness and they don't even try to contain their emotions in most circumstances.  What a great way to view the world, right?  Obviously, as adults, we must learn to sort of tone that down and live within the constraints of what is acceptable in society, but I definitely allow myself some leniency to just laugh out loud and unapologetically release. 

Some of my best experiences/stories during my health and fitness journey have nothing to do with actual health and fitness.  Most have to do with some blooper I've made (like going through an entire 4:30 am workout with my pants on inside out AND backwards; only to realize once I got HOME. I will never ever forgive you for that Steph and Kelly...some friends you are!  I kid. I kid.) and just learning to laugh at myself.  I get through a lot of awkward and difficult situations that way. I'm not going to get better, stronger, or closer to goals by sulking or beating myself up.  Things don't improve when you focus on the negatives.  Things happen when you put a smile on your face and put forth the effort to push through. 

Last night, I was picking my daughter up from her very first "Skate Party".  Suddenly I felt like I was catapulted back to 80s and I was hitting sensory overload just as spotted my gorgeous tween in the middle of the big wooden floor.  There she was, tall, beautiful, laughing herself silly and so gracefully skating...while pushing a walker with tennis balls on its feet.  Yes, there she was in all her perfection.  I've written about my kiddo before.  She's a gem.  The girliest girl I know.  Completely and hopelessly uncoordinated and undoubtedly confident that she can do anything with style and pizazz.  Her friends were skating circles around her, cheering her on, and laughing loudly as she proclaimed, "I've got this!  I'm going Grandma Style!"  (I assume that was a spin on Gangham Style.)  Being that she had been at the party for nearly 3 hours, I can only imagine the jokes and fun these kids had.  She was unfazed.  She was having the time of her life with her friends and not giving a flying fizz that she looked utterly ridiculous.  Like I said, she's perfect.  As I drove her and a friend home, they continued to laugh and share stories.  No judgment from her friends, they love her because she didn't let fear or insecurity stop her from having a wonderful time at this party.  She has another skate party coming up and she can't wait! 

 
 
My point is, don' t take yourself so seriously.  I know that's easier said than done, but you'll be amazed how much easier it is to get through life if you just laugh.  Do your best with what you've got and trust that the people that really matter in your life, well, they're thankful for the comic relief. 

A current (and long standing) goal of mine is to actually do a pull up.  I'm currently a pro at an exercise I like to call the "dead fish" where I just sort of dangle there and pull with every ounce of might that I have and don't even raise myself a few inches.  Yeah...that's awesome.  How many of you can say you did 3 sets of 10 "dead fish" this morning?  I won't give up and when I do finally do that pull up, ya'll better get ready to party! 

So get out there, be great, and if you slip up, oh well, at least you've got a great story to tell!


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