Everything and everyone is in us, and we are in everything and everyone!

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I was in Montreal for the Festival du Féminin last weekend, where I met some wonderful, brilliant, crazy, passionate, open-minded, wise, learned and creative women… And they all became my HAHA Sisters! We haven’t all had the joy of talking to each other, but somehow we know each other now. Through looks, smiles and laughter, we have become one great feminine vibration of joy and love.

During one of the workshops I attended, the facilitator asked us to look at each other and observe each other as a part of ourselves.

And my gaze fell on a young woman who really seemed to be finding the time long, who didn’t seem to be enjoying the exercise and who seemed to want to be somewhere else much more than being there! HAHA! I recognized that part of myself! When I sometimes find that I’m not in the right place or that I’m desperate to have fun – or to work (What the hell is taking so long?!! What am I doing here?!) and that part, I can’t say that I really appreciate it. But that’s me too!

For the thirty or so women in the circle, I suddenly realized that for each of them, I was also a part of them… and that made me happy!

Where am I going with this long preamble? (Patience, folks! I’m getting to it!)

I realized that we’re all the same in some way, with all the facets that make up the others. We all have fears, impatience, worries, joys, laughter, skills, shortcomings, weaknesses and strengths. We have EVERYTHING in each and every one of us!

And what I’d like is to always be the sparkling part of joy, of smiling, of living joyfully for others and for myself!

So the next time you and I get impatient with something or someone, let’s ask ourselves what part of ourselves we’d like to say “AH LALA! Pfffffffffffffff….” and what energy we want to put out into the world.

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

Losing track of time

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On vacation, I notice that it’s quite common for me to lose track of time. What day is it? What time is it?

I love it! And it’s good!

Then we’re in the present moment and we’re fine.

Another way to be in the moment and feel good is to have a good laugh!

During laughter meditation, this is often what happens. We lose touch with time and space, and get lost in the present moment.

As we laugh with all our bodies and hearts, we simply are! We can’t think about anything. We can’t worry, we can’t feel guilty. IM POS SI BLE! All that matters right now is… the present moment! Nothing else matters!

So why don’t you take a little holiday and live in the moment? Start with a big laugh and keep going until it’s real! Keep going and … We’ll talk about it another time! I’m getting ready for my annual vacation!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

Celebrating the present moment

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“Happiness is having good health and a bad memory”.

My friend David Kelm shared this quote from Neal Donald Walsch with me. These few words suddenly made a lot of sense to me. It’s true, because our memories (whether good or not so good) take us back to the past, whereas happiness is in the present moment. I often say that laughter puts us completely in the present moment. While we’re laughing, we’re not thinking about what has happened or what could happen. For the coming New Year, I wish us more present!!!!

Laughter, joy and peace
Linda

That’s life!

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There are some experiences that are a real pleasure.

My appearance today on“C’est ça la vie!” is one of those!
The whole team is in great spirits! The host, Elaine Ayotte, is not only very sympathetic, but does an extraordinary job of introducing us to some really interesting things – and in a very positive way. Which is all too rare these days.
This show arrives in the middle of the day and brings with it a breath of fresh air: we talk about beautiful places to discover, beautiful stories, beautiful people, things that feel good…
It makes me smile to see shows like this!
BRAVO to the whole team! To Ms Ayotte for the quality of her work day after day, to the researchers who work behind the scenes and do a great job, to the make-up artist (Anik! I haven’t forgotten!) who prepares us for the camera, to the technical team and to the people in charge at Radio-Canada who made this feel-good show possible. THANK YOU AND BRAVO!
Someone phoned me right after my appearance on the show and asked me to give her some exercises to help herself laugh a little more. I’m sharing them with you:

 

– Stand in front of the mirror, turn your thumbs towards you and laugh at your little mistakes, your successes… do the “self laugh”;
– Too difficult? Just start with a SMILE, then laugh softly;
– As you walk, even if you’re not laughing, repeat this: HO HO HAHAHA and pace yourself as you say it;
– Brushing your teeth? Why not! And if you have dentures, laugh as you watch your teeth smile at you!
Let’s put laughter into everything we do! It makes life sweeter, human relationships more harmonious and we feel so much better!
Laughter, joy and peace
Linda

How many lives can we influence?

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I’m lucky enough to have a friend who is also my hairdresser and, above all, a truly beautiful person. His name is Yves Chabot. Yves has been taking care of my hair for… quite a few years!

Talking with him over the weekend, I realized something important: no matter what we do in life, we all have the opportunity to make people’s lives a little more beautiful!

He makes my hair beautiful, and his work makes me feel good about myself-because he does his job so well! But he doesn’t just cut, color, style and place other people’s hair. He smiles, he’s sympathetic, he listens and, above all, he’s really and truly kind to the people he sees. That makes all the difference!
Those of us who work in the public eye play a key role in influencing the lives of thousands of people, even without knowing it! Making other people’s lives more beautiful and leaving a smiling trace in their lives. Without necessarily remembering the person’s face, it has an extraordinary and certain power: to make us feel good and our hearts a little lighter!
The people who serve me coffee with a smile and wish me a good day change my mood when things aren’t going so well… the gas station attendant who courteously serves me with a smile gives me one more reason to smile. The person who opens the door for me when I’ve got big bags in my arms makes a small gesture that comforts me and makes me grateful to have had her on my way.
Think about it! We have countless opportunities to positively influence the lives of the people around us!
In Madhuri Kataria’s message for World Laughter Day 2007, she told us that a person’s laughter has the same effect as a small stone thrown into the water: the small waves go further and further out, and the laughter can reach far beyond the immediate surroundings. These little attentions and smiling attitudes that we can have for each other have the same effect: to influence the life of the person who will rub shoulders with the person who will rub shoulders with the person who… and so on to the other end of the world!
My grandmother used to write me a little poem on her greeting cards, which began with “A smile costs nothing to the giver but much to the receiver”. I realize how true that is…

Give it to the next guy? You bet! It’s good for all areas of life. It doesn’t have to cost money. Just smile!

Have a nice day!
Laughter, joy and peace
Linda

Happy Mother’s Day!

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Today is a very special day for me. It’s my mother’s birthday! I know she doesn’t like “public honours” but, really, I wanted to say something about the generous, laughing and discreet woman that is my mother. I often have a good laugh with her! What a blessing! What a great example she sets for me!

Thank you, Mom, for all the times you’ve made me laugh with your stories, for all the times you tell me about the tricks you play (today and yesterday) and the jokes you’ve played (or could have played!) – you laugh at them too, and that’s probably the thing that makes me laugh so much! To hear you laugh! For all sorts of things… and also for nothing! …just because we’re laughing and it’s a beautiful moment of sharing and love (when we start laughing for something, sometimes we just keep on laughing because we enjoy laughing together and find it funny to laugh so much).

Thank you, Mom, for all the wonderful lessons you’ve taught me and for those you’ve allowed me to learn. You’ve certainly passed on some good genes to me, because I too am capable of laughing at myself and making myself laugh with very little… I really owe you more than I could ever tell you! You’ve given me the gift of life and the gift of laughter!

I’m doing – especially for you – the HEARTY LAUGH and I’m singing you my best wishes with laughter! Happy birthday, Mom! I love you! Salusssssssssssssssss!

Laughter and peace

Phew! August already!

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How fast everything goes!

As soon as the vacations start, they’re already over!
I promised myself I’d write about the very special experience we had at the Just for Laughs Festival on July 19. So here it is: INTERESTING!
And if I were to tell you more about it, I’d say that despite the rain that fell right up to the last minute, despite the clouds that threatened to break at any moment, a fine group of brave souls responded to the invitation and we had a great time laughing together that evening! Thanks to the certified Laughter Yoga School instructors who met for the occasion: Johanne Bouchard, Nicole Lalonde, Sylvie Périard, Raymonde Labelle, Fadi Brahimcha, Brigitte Landry, Myriam Brahimcha, Raymonde Simard, Christine Toupin. Thanks to Stella Caron, Lucienne Desforges, Gisèle and Benoît Leclerc and Michael Lebrun. And finally, thanks to the gang from the Club de rire de Montréal: John Lejderman, François Lessieur, (and two other very nice people whose names I’ll have in a few days – I promise!)
This session allowed us to end a rainy day with a laugh!!! It was great and that’s what counts!
Laughter and peace
Linda

World Laugh Day – Gatineau, May 6, 2007

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It’s always a pleasant experience to laugh together in the open air, but when it’s World Laughter Day, to think that we’re united with all humans on earth to laugh for world peace becomes a very special moment for me.
This year, the weather was truly exceptional for our gathering. The sun was shining warmly on the hundred or so laughers who gathered at the bottom of the grand staircase of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and I had chosen to read Madhuri Kataria’s statement inviting us not to be afraid to be the starting point of a wave of joy that amplifies every time we make a positive gesture towards another person. That person, in turn, tends to do something positive for someone else… and we can influence a huge number of people without even knowing it! Just by smiling at someone, dozens of people could feel the benefits! This fits in well with the notion of “giving back” that we see on TV and in our communities. By striving to be positive in our actions, the great wave of positive energies will spread to infinity!
In his message, Dr. Kataria invites us to dream with him of the opening ceremony of the next Olympic Games, which would open with a minute of laughter with all the athletes, the people in the stadium and the millions of television viewers who will be watching the ceremony. Let’s dream of a million Laughter Clubs all over the world… so many places where people can laugh and learn to LIVE together!
Magic? Magnificent? No! POSSIBLE!!!
All we have to do is want to. One laugh at a time!
Let’s open our arms to the sky and send our laughter to the stars…
Laughter and peace
Linda

Bravo to the Salut Bonjour! team!

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On Monday March 5, 2007, I found myself on the set of Salut Bonjour! at the TVA studios, talking about the benefits of laughter and doing a few exercises with a great group of laughers and the whole studio crew.
What a great experience it was for me!
For a number of reasons.
I must thank researcher Patricia Aubry for her perseverance and good humour. Thanks also to Daniel Melançon for his excellent summary, his warm welcome and his kindness to all those who had risen early to come and laugh “live” that morning. A great way to start the day? I’d say so!
Thanks again to Benoît Gagnon for lending himself so cheerfully to the game and doing the laughter exercises from the heart!
Thanks to Michèle for her warm welcome, and to Josée and Michèle for their expert touch on this early morning!
Thanks to Benoît, Pierre, Manon, Nicole, Liliana and Odette for coming to laugh with us.
Everyone on the set was laughing with us!
The few exercises done in the studio are really quite simple.
SELF LAUGH: to laugh at our good and not-so-good deeds, to laugh at our idiosyncrasies, to laugh at ourselves, but also to laugh with pride in who we are (thumbs up).
SILENT LAUGH: done that morning in combination with DRIVING LAUGH, so we can laugh anywhere without anyone knowing that we’re doing a bit of relaxation while laughing! Very effective at the wheel! Everyone will want to know what station you’re tuned in to!
THE LAUGH OF DISPUTE: to argue but laugh! (index finger waving)
APPRECIATION LAUGH: to show the other person that we appreciate them, that we’re happy to have them in our lives, that we’re pleased with their good deeds! (Thumbs up to the sky)
Did you know that most people would love nothing more than to laugh with you? It’s an essential and fundamental need. Give it a try! And pay attention to your state of mind after you’ve laughed!
Have a nice day
Laughter and peace
Linda

It’s when you need it most that you want it least

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I don’t know about you, but for me it’s often when I need to laugh the most that I want to laugh the least! When life throws me challenges and messages that make me grit my teeth, that’s when I consciously use laughter to help me breathe and distance myself from the things that happen (or don’t happen). There’s nothing like a little silent laughter to empty your lungs and fill them with “new” air. Even if it only lasts a few moments, the effect is there.

A fellow trainer recently sent me a message, and at the bottom of it she added the following words (which I translate quite freely). This is the Waraiko – Japanese laughter ritual.
3 laughs from the heart
The first – in recognition of past years
The second – praying for the years to come
The third – to clarify your heart and mind

It was Marcel Pagnol who said: “When you make people laugh on stage or screen, you don’t lower yourself, quite the opposite. Laughing at those who come home from the fields with their big hands so hard they can’t close them. Those who leave the office with their small breasts that no longer know the taste of air. Those who come back from the factory with their heads down, their nails broken and black oil in the cuts of their fingers. Make all those who will die laugh, make all those who have lost their mother or will lose her laugh… No, no, don’t speak ill of laughter… Laughter is a human thing, a virtue that belongs only to men and that God perhaps gave them to console them for being intelligent.”

Laughter, joy and health

Linda