An Invitation To Laugh, Appropriately Of Course

Laughter Thought Leader: Elaine Williams

“Here’s the thing”, my client Heidi said to me when she asked me to come to speak to her group.

“My group holds parents and allies of kids with severe autism. Each day is a challenge and they come to my gatherings to recharge their own batteries. To fill their own cup and nourish their souls. They bring their courage, their hearts, their pain, their vulnerability. They share themselves and their stories of broken and new dreams. Emotions can run high and deep and fast; they often overflow. I am BEYOND protective of this valiant band.”, she explained.

Humor To Open Minds:

She was worried that I might be too much even though she wanted me to speak about the power of video and of humor to open minds and hearts. She was worried it might be more than this sensitive group could hear. Humor and autism? (Heidi had been the one to suggest the topic.)

“how would these exhausted caregivers respond to my energy and invitation to try on new points of view?”

Heidi just wasn’t sure that, if asked to stretch and look for the resilient  “Yes, and…” prompt of improv in their own lives…how would these exhausted caregivers respond to my energy and invitation to try on new points of view?

“They freakin’ LOVED YOU!” (She reported back to me.) “Because they felt immediately how much you connected with and loved THEM.” Heidi continued on: “Elaine proceeded to blow us away with her wit, her wisdom, her own vulnerability. Her stories held us captive, and we wanted her to stay with us forever. Our giggles felt so G-O-O-D.”

Laughter Is The Best Medicine:

“I believe that laughter helps you lean into the pain, into being awake and aware as a human being”

By the end of the hour, we were howling with laughter over stories; recognizing for ourselves that acceptance of hard truths, especially with friends, can set you free, even if for only one glorious moment of shared experience.

Now here’s the thing. Sure, I love getting compliments and kudos from clients and audiences. I’m not gonna lie–it’s very nice. However, the point I really want to make is about the gift of laughter. I cannot imagine what it’s like to have a child with special needs, on top of all the other stressors that people are dealing with right now.

I believe that laughter helps you lean into the pain, into being awake and aware as a human being, instead of running away from the pain with drugs, alcohol, shopping, eating, Facebooking, or any of the other distractions. When we can laugh together, even while going through really hard things, we’re sharing our humanity. Our strengths and our vulnerabilities.

Invitation To Laugh:

So I invite you to bring more laughter into your life. Google funny and weird signs. Watch five minutes of YouTube per day of stuff that makes you laugh. And if you’re not sure of what makes you laugh, you need to watch 10 minutes per day! You need extra! Take an improv or comedy class.

Be intentional about finding your funny and humor.

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