reverb 17 - Learning about Laughter

Laughter. One of the greatest things I have learned about this past year. It is a gift, that you can give yourself.

I tried laughter yoga for the first time this past summer. I can remember walking into the first intro class, feeling miserable, and not wanting to let that misery go. It was protecting me. By the end of the class I was beaming and sweaty. I picked my misery back up shortly after the class, but oh did it feel good to put it down for an hour. A respite.

I registered for a summer class and here's what I learned.

I have an incredibly contagious laugh! It was often tough just getting there, and some days I didn't - and the other group members would be sure to tell me how missed I was, the next time I was there.

Laughter is healing. Not just in the way you think. Laughter can change the brain, and I can attest to this. I used to have a really bad startle response. Spice jars would come tumbling out of the cupboard unexpectedly (my sweetie is a very enthusiastic cook) and I would freeze. Like a deer in headlights, heart racing - incapable of words, or movement. I learned to laugh when I was startled. A bit forced to begin with, and then it became more natural. It helped to diminish the flight or freeze response drastically. And everything became funnier!

Laughter taught me to be more patient, and forgiving. If the traffic is bad, or someone cuts me off, I laugh. If I make a mistake, I laugh. This was huge for me. Everything became more manageable and I was being much less tougher on myself. Yogurt all over the floor? hahahahhaha

One of the best parts is that laughter is like a muscle, the more you use it, the less stiff it is, and moves more freely. The other is that it is incredibly contagious. Especially if you have a laugh like mine :)

Lesson learned.
What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year?
And how will you apply that lesson going forward?