A few weeks ago I came up with an idea to #passthelaugh, that I thought may be nice to do with my fellow laughter professionals in the laughter community. It was a simple concept that would involved us each recording a ‘Laughie’ (a short video of ourselves laughing), and editing them together to show how we were passing laughter to each other, in times when we couldn’t physically be together as a community. This would virtually bring us together to celebrate World Laughter Day, which falls on the first Sunday in May each year, this year on Sunday 3rd May. And this year, given the unprecedented times we find ourselves in, I thought it the ideal time for the laughter community to share with their networks, the amazing mood and health boosting resource we have within us all, that is laughter!
I shared my #passthelaugh idea, and the initiative has quickly been picked up within the laughter community. An amazing video has been made from the initiative and hundreds of laughter professionals all around the world have taken part! Including the Founder of Laughter Yoga, Dr Madan Kataria, who has praised my initiative as a ‘genius idea!’ This has made me very happy, and I’m delighted that so many people are already onboard the idea to share the wonderfully contagious sound of laughter.
But laughing unconditionally isn’t a new thing within the laughter community – the philosophy of Laughter Yoga is to create internal joy so you are not reliant upon external stimuli to bring you happiness. And so unconditional laughter is often used when negative emotions threaten your happiness. It’s a practised skill, but one that is very easy to adopt, and suitable for everyone.
So with this in mind, I wanted to share my initiative of #passthelaugh outside of the laughter community, to give everyone the opportunity to, not only hear other people laugh, but also to experience laughter for themselves – because who knows when someone last laughed?! It may have been a few minutes ago, sometime yesterday, last week maybe, or perhaps there are people out there who cannot remember the last time they laughed. Maybe because they feel they have nothing to laugh for, or because nothing is making them laugh – they don’t find things funny. And that’s where unconditional laughter comes in! It’s about fun, rather than being funny.
Unconditional laughter means you don’t rely on comedy, humour or jokes to make you laugh. Nor do you wait for someone to tickle you! Laughter Yoga teaches you to choose and allow laughter, even when you don’t feel like laughing. In fact, especially when you don’t feel like laughing!
In this video I share with you a simple technique to help you learn to laugh unconditionally – to laugh for no reason if you like (except for the health of it obviously! Because you know laughter is the best medicine, right?!). So practise the exercise by breathing in through your nose, and breathing out through your mouth. And then breath in through your nose, and laugh the breath out through your mouth. All you are doing is making that out breath audible. And making yourself, and others who hear it, feel a whole lot better!
So my challenge to you, is to join my initiative of #passthelaugh by recording a simple ‘Laughie’, nominating someone else to do the same, and posting it on your social media with #passthelaugh. Tag me in (The Roach Coach.Happiness), and let’s fill social media with the positive, infectious sound of laughter, so no-one goes any longer without experiencing laughter in their lives). If you are not on social media but would still like to join in, simply send me your ‘Laughie’ and I will share it from my social media.
And now you know the technique of unconditional laughter, there is no reason for you not to laugh every day, or every time something threatens your joy.
Love & Laughter,
Sian xx
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