Laughing more in January has thus far turned out to be a great goal. I'm not sure how much more I've laughed but I'm definitely noticing each time I laugh. Noticing the act seems to be making each occasion more meaningful. I'll be in the middle of cracking up over something hilarious and the thought does go through my mind, "I'm laughing really hard right now. I'm happy." I know that sounds kind of stupid, but I've been saying for years that when I take note of something, the something becomes more meaningful and more impactful.
If I drive by something truly lovely on the way to work, the lovely thing is more impressionable by far when I devote a few moments to it. When I acknowledge to myself how lovely it is, when I realize that it is making my day more beautiful, when I express (even to myself) the gratitude I feel towards that beautiful moment then the beauty fully impacts me and stays with me for a long time.
I'm noticing the same with laughter. This month since I'm focusing on it each occasion has been more impactful and more uplifting to me. I can sit here, six days into the month and recall laughing hysterically on several occasions. I don't remember the last time I laughed hysterically before this week but that's not to say it's been a really long time I just never took note of it in my mind before. This week I laughed really REALLY hard with a co-worker at something really silly she said. We could hardly stop laughing. I don't remember having so much fun at work. We dragged it out so much that we'll probably both laugh every time we see a paper clip for ages to come. On Monday little Abe and I danced like fools in the kitchen to some crazy indie music. We may as well have been Aborigines with our "special" moves but boy were they funny and did we ever laugh (and exhaust ourselves). Throughout the six or so songs we fell on the floor laughing more than once at our funny moves.
I have been working at the list I posted earlier of ways to focus on laughter this month:
- Read funny stories, funny poems. We've read funny stories each day. I'm really enjoying this part of the goal.
- Watch funny movies. We watched "Pets," which I didn't think was super funny but little Abe thought it was hilarious and I found myself laughing at his laughter.
- Tickle regularly. I need to add more tickling to the month. My kid LOVES being tickled and it always makes both of us laugh.
- Tell jokes. Nope
- Discover/ sing silly songs Nope
- Document on the blog one moment of laughter each day. I fogot that I was going to do this. I have written about laughing a few times in the past six days so I think I'm okay with this one.
- Remind myself to laugh. When I notice myself laughing in my head I intend to remind myself to laugh out loud Yes. I've thought something was funny MANY times over the past week and I have told myself to laugh. It's sad, but what can I say I'm a very serious person.
- Take photos of laughter. This one is actually very sad. I think my camera might be dead.
- Play more often. Hmm, no, we haven't worked on this. I forgot this was on the list too.
- Make time to be less serious. Wow, no. Actually, dancing like a crazy person in the kitchen should cover this one.
- Read a book(s) about laughter... or just quotes, haha! Yes. This one's pretty easy for me.
I love January's goal. Laughing more, or at least focusing on laughter and noticing each time I do is really fun. I'm absolutely laughing every single day and I can't say if I was or wasn't before. Just the fact that I know I'm laughing every day, that I remember things that made me laugh, and that I know I'm enjoying life makes me feel accomplished.
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| July 2016 Happy |
