Grounding Courage, Trust and Laughter

Is Your Life Difficult or Easy?

Are you Happy having an easy time in your life? I was speaking with a lady on the train who was down from Darwin for a few days. Heather has two male children, one with ADHD and the other with Asperger’s. My immediate reaction was to feel she had a difficult life. She responded that her life was no more difficult than anyone else’s. immediately I felt that she was very courageous. I concurred when she said she believed we are given only that which we are able to cope with and learn from. This is my firm belief, we will be handed challenges, call it what you will, in order to evolve, expand and grow as human beings into becoming more spirit-based, whilst in a human body.

Laughter is important and the little dog Trixie is our mascot, trotting around us as we do our laughter exercises.
Laughter is important and the little dog Trixie is our mascot, trotting around us as we do our laughter exercises.

I have chosen to bring up the subject of Courage as being a very important quality to hold and express yourself through. Do you see yourself as being courageous? People generally live life unconsciously, being led and drawn throughout their lives. Granted there are decisions, activities and goals that we busy ourselves in. We can either express from a selfish centre, where it is all about me, which is prevalent when we are young. The whole world revolves around us and our desires. As time passes, this alters and many of us ponder, feeling to give back and share from our life’s experience and gained wisdom. Life expresses more about how may I serve? This revised attitude may also be unconscious, rather that we have a growing feeling of liking to help or be useful in some ways.

Life Throws us Challenges

Courage comes in when challenges present themselves to us and we can take the stance to be strong, to not give in, to never give up, to keep going on, no matter what. We can feel utterly and completely lost, or perhaps see the end in mind, whether we feel we have it all worked out, in line with our purpose and plan or otherwise.

It takes guts to turn up no matter what. Nothing stopping us, becoming unstoppable. There is a fine balance with not burning ourselves out either, as we must give from an overflowing abundance of energy or else our own health may be depleted. We can feel resentful also if we are coming from the ‘wrong’ motives.

Wrong is in inverted commas, because in theory there is no right or wrong. We have choices and consequences. Our motive may be to fulfil a need we carry due to low self-esteem and is not as clear or pure as when it is from a genuine desire to be embracing life in a way that we feel we are giving back to life.

Taken in context, therefore, we have the opportunity to call on Courage in our lives when we feel the need. Courage is an interesting word, or quality. Many of us have it in some things that we have to do and not others. We may work well, be smart, on the ball and feel strong, together and yet on a personal level, we can shrink.

It is all okay, either way. Just get real with yourself and know when you need to call for outside support to get you going, through to the other side.

Call on Courage to see you through, offer support and you may in addition call on Trust, as together with Courage, they go hand in hand. If we don’t feel Trust, it will be harder to accept Courage when we ask for it.

Laughter Yoga Strengthens our Capacity for Courage

This is where using Laughter Yoga can come in, to support us in our lack of commitment and when our fears hold us back. Do we want to be chicken or have the Courage of a Tiger. Or would you pick another cat? Maybe a mouse, who in one story stands up to an elephant.

I sincerely say that the longer I run laughter clubs, the more certain I am that to include (not to say it is all that you need) laughter in your life, you will be changed in ways that will please you! That is for the best, we do not want to be settled, we like to feel safe and secure, but what growth is in that? Nil.

John, my husband who joins me frequently speaks of how laughter has been instrumental in getting him out of comfort zone. John recently shared that he will speak with anybody, new people who he would not have otherwise approached before him joining the laughter club.  He feels it may be more difficult too for the men out there.

A regular male attendee who has been coming for several years astounded us when he said that he was very shy and had to make himself come back again. That is not always the case, as many people come to laughter club once and feel it is not for them. I feel they may not attend long enough to find out if that is so. Quite a few share they felt uncomfortable and returned regardless. The longer you come, the better you will feel. Even though it gets you out of your comfort zone, you will once again experience child-like playful fun, but this time as an adult with other adults. It does become natural and spontaneous once more, with the practice of regular attendance at a laughter club.

Laughter helps you get over yourself, your appearance, lack of confidence and resistance to being outside in a social group. Many of us withdraw or, through no fault of our own, are quite isolated, especially as we age.

We improve being inhibited when we connect with adult members in the laughter club. Part of what we do is embrace child-like playful fun with each other. Such as you may recall as you would have as a child, playing outside with the neighbourhood kids on a hot summer night, or however you remember those precious childhood memories.

What we do at Laughter Club.

We do laughter yoga exercises, deep breathing, singing using ho ho or something similar instead of words, dancing around and in general behave as if we are doing improvisation theatre.

It is never too late to start something new like attending one of our laughter clubs, or that thing that you have held off doing. What is on your bucket list? Does it require Courage and Trust to do it or is it related to time or money?

Develop new Brain Pathways

Neuroplasticity is about the science of neurons, the brain to develop new cells and pathways. Brain Gym is becoming widely practiced and educates people to expand themselves with exercises. People can further develop their brains and have greater cognitive behaviour with various activities. The top activity for Neuroplasticity is laughter, next singing and dancing. We do all of these when we meet at community laughter clubs.

My involvement with laughter has certainly done that, released me from my comfort zone, expanded my horizons, opened up new pathways, not only in my brain but in many other areas of my life.

No doubt we could be led to be involved in many activities that would help us to achieve a feeling of expansion in our lives. That is if we allow ourselves to be inspired by a greater part of us which is beyond physical limitations, we will find our way.

Finishing Off

My wish for you is to dig deep, make an effort if you aren’t already, to discover new things to do in your life. We want to have a greater expression of ourselves on all levels, well many of us are into growing and if what I share does not resonate with you, that is fine as life happens and evolution can take as long as it takes.

We may feel out of our depth, like being pulled along and without being in control, rather than our life being of our choosing and being able to follow our passion.

If you have lost yours, direction and passion, then please, please come to one of the local laughter clubs, or another one if you live elsewhere. It may be just what the doctor ordered!

Laughing together with supportive, like-minded people is extraordinary. We come together sometimes quietly, throw ourselves into the session and leave feeling magnificent. We feel uplifted, energised, appreciative and with the intention of bringing more laughter into our lives, in whatever way is possible.

Cheerio for now. Lynette.

Disclaimer: Information shared is intended to support you and is from my personal understanding, experience and is generalised. I am not responsible for how you take it on board.

Ferntree Gully Laughter Club Celebrates
Lynette was walking towards the camera for this weird shot.