Week Nine: Giving Yourself the Gift of Laughter

One of the things I've noticed most in my journey into feeling more whole has been an accompanying deepening and availability of my sense of humor.  I find more things amusing - especially my own silliness and inelegance in certain situations. I've also noticed a readiness to see the humor in daily life events that wouldn't have been possible before.  For example, one day I got stuck in some slacks when the zipper wouldn't open, and I needed to change so I could leave for the office.  Rather than my old response of getting uptight and irritated at the potential of being late to the office, I found myself laughing at the absurdity of having to cut myself out of a pair of slacks in order to get ready for a busy day.  This response was so decidedly different from how I would have reacted in the past that it caught my attention and I began to notice that I find many things humorous these days. 

It's all a matter of the filter we wear.  Are things irritating or amusing?  Do they stop you from getting where you want to go or add some interest along the way?

What's your relationship with laughter and what are the things that make you giggle?  Have you had an opportunity to laugh with yourself and others, or do you tend to laugh at yourself and others?  There's a difference.  One is an expression of delight and the other can often reflect cruelty or hostility.  A healthy, wholesome laugh isn't one that hurts or humiliates.  Instead, it joins us to a moment of delight, which automatically opens our heart space and connects us more to our world.

This week's experiment is to explore healthy laughter and to make a sense of humor your more constant companion.  It's possible to imagine that you have an unlimited supply of 'bubbles of laughter' ready and willing to escape from deep inside you.  Notice when you experience laughter bubbling up, even when you least expect such a response.  Also, notice how laughter colors a situation, affects your state of mind, and moves into and through your body.  Pay attention to, and notice, whatever moments amuse you.  They are gifts of delight and have an impact on the quality of your daily experience.

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