Let our emotions run wild!

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Let our emotions flow… there’s nothing more HEALTHY!

At a certain point in my life, I believed – wrongly, you’re right – that I should never be angry. That it’s wrong to be angry.

Well, no! It’s far from bad. In fact, it’s good. What isn’t is the way it’s sometimes expressed. When it ends up in violent gestures. People then express their angry emotions in the wrong way.

I found an illustrated series on the web a few days ago and these innocent little drawings really spoke to me. I felt moved as I unrolled the screen. It’s so true! You can’t repress a desire to drink. So why should we repress a feeling?

When we wrote our book The Yoga of Laughter, Corinne Cosseron and I were determined to include a section on emotions. Laughing is good (very, very good indeed!), but just because we laugh doesn’t mean we should ignore our emotions! They speak to us, telling us that something isn’t right. And we have to let them speak.

When I give talks to certain groups of people who work in a profession where we have to remain neutral – I’m thinking here of police officers, for example – I tell them that it’s very important to reserve a space for ourselves where our emotions can continue to tell us things. These people can’t really let themselves be overwhelmed by them because of the neutral role they play in society, but it’s important not to continually ignore them. They won’t disappear, but they will be repressed… and what pushes its way out, ends up coming out in ways that aren’t always acceptable or healthy.

People sometimes think I laugh all the time. Because that’s what I teach, I should laugh all the time? Pffffff… make me laugh! I feel my share of emotions, just like any normal, well-balanced human being. I experience anger, sadness and joy. The whole gamut! I’m not always attentive to what my emotions are telling me. I’m learning too!

But when I feel anger building up, I take the time to ask myself what’s going on and why I’m feeling this emotion. If I’m in the car and stressed by traffic or road conditions, I welcome that anger and thank it… When I feel sad, I listen to what that little voice is telling me… and I take the time to “rock myself”, to comfort myself, to say words of love to myself.

I’m not trying to cheer myself up at all costs! No. If that’s what’s coming up, then I listen. And, by not ignoring what’s going on inside me, I somehow make peace with life… and then I can move on with more serenity.

There’s nothing to do! We’re all human. Creatures with human experiences. Not always pleasant. Not always fair. Simply human!

Do these illustrations speak to you too? Let me know what you think.

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

n.b. These lovely illustrations are by Fanny, Wellness Artist.

A very true quote

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Last week, I attended several networking events. At one of them, one of the speakers said something that made me realize just how far I’ve come. Do it and do it until you get it right.

Do it… again and again and again and again. Until you get it right.

It’s so true!

Think about it. When a child learns to walk, he falls, and falls, and falls! Does he get discouraged and stop trying to get up and move forward? NOT. AT ALL. AT ALL! He keeps going… until he succeeds! That’s his goal and he KEEPS GOING!

Hey boy… the number of times I’ve tried to do something and, because on the second try I didn’t get the results I wanted, I stopped… Crazy!

Perseverance or stubbornness?

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that it’s easy to get discouraged after a few unsuccessful attempts. Not that I give up when something doesn’t work out, but rather that I don’t know whether I’m being persistent or stubborn! It’s a small but important nuance.

 

In my opinion, perseverance enables us to achieve our goals, realize our potential and succeed in things we believe in. The definition I found on the web basically says this: To apply one’s will, to use patience to pursue an action despite difficulties, to remain firm in a resolution, an opinion, an attitude.

Stubbornness on the other hand has a more negative connotation for me. If I’m stubborn about something, then I’m stubborn! The image that accompanies this concept of stubbornness is that of a billy goat running into a wall. He’s charging and charging and charging headfirst… and that’s not very positive! Obstinate, unreasoning attachment to an opinion or bias.

In the case of the sentence that made me react, it’s all about perseverance. And when the goal is worthwhile, when it’s something that’s good for my health, that’s good for humanity, then that’s a very positive thing! and I buy that!

When I tell you that hearing those words made me realize how far we’ve come, I was thinking of several things.

To my beginnings on two legs, trying to stand up and move forward, of course, but also and above all, to all the effort I put into becoming what I am today. Building a business that allows me to laugh, spread good cheer, reduce my own stress and help others reduce theirs… to laugh EVERY DAY! That’s no mean feat!

A difficult start

 

I’ll always remember my first experience with laughter yoga. Oh, how uncomfortable I was with the idea of laughing for no reason! Oh how I remember the thought that crossed my mind that morning as I was told I should laugh after saying my first name, laugh after saying where I was from, laugh after saying what I did for a living!“Uh… no! That’s vrrrrrrrrrreally not funny! And why should I laugh if it’s not funny?!”

But I had paid for my internship and I had DECIDED to give it a try. I had CHOSEN to see what could happen and if it could help me. Thank God I persevered! Much to my delight!

To this day, I often hear people tell me that they could never do what I do. That they’d never be able to laugh “at nothing” as naturally as I do!

Well, I’d tell them Do it and do it until you get it right! Don’t stop because you think it’s too strange, too left-field. Just keep at it! You’ll see that in the end you’ll succeed, and you’ll feel BETTER and HAPPIER!

Yes!

Doesn’t that give you a little extra pep to continue what you want to do or what you’ve started? Don’t be discouraged! You’re walking on your own two feet now? Are you? You’ve got the proof!

Inspiration comes from everywhere, when you least expect it!

I give you a big smile. I tilt my head back a little and laugh happily and freely!

Laughter, joy and health

Your HAHA Sister, Linda