Thomas Flindt's Blog, page 25
January 7, 2019
Tips for Staying Fit by Eating Healthy Food
Eating healthy food can go a long way in keeping you fit. It works in several different ways. The following are some tips on how to maintain your fitness level with food that is good for you.
Eating healthy food can help you stay fit by keeping your weight down
A lot of the weight people gain is from eating a lot of calories and fat. Healthy food tends to be lower in these, and this can help keep you fit. For instance, you can eat a banana, an apple, a serving of spinach and a serving of broccoli for less calories than many pieces of cake.
It is much more difficult to overeat (although not impossible) if you are eating healthy simply because you can eat so much more food. The so-called “junk foods” are generally high in calories and fat so eating just a few of them can quickly raise your caloric intake to the point that you start to gain excess weight, which will make you less fit. In addition, when you are eating unhealthy, you do not gain good weight like muscle. Instead you gain fat.
Having an excess amount of fat raises your risk of many dangerous conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, and also places you more at risk for deadly complications such as heart attack, stroke and cancer as you get older. Eating healthy can help keep you in a weight range that is good for you and this can help keep you fit as you age.
Eating healthy keeps you fit by giving you the proper nutrition, vitamins and minerals to lower your chances of a wide spectrum of diseases
Eating healthy fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthy foods can help lower your chances of the aforementioned diseases, regardless of weight.
Many of the ingredients are known to fight cancer and keep your heart healthy and strong. Study after study have proven that various healthy foods fight against all sorts of cancers, heart disease and other conditions.
Eating healthy does not have to mean you don’t enjoy your food.
There are many foods that are both delicious and healthy. Savory fruits such as berries and melons can be very delicious, and you can roast some vegetables for a fun addition to any meal.
If you are creative, you can make many dishes that incorporate these delicious and enjoyable foods. Everything should be eaten in moderation, and eat sweets sparingly.
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October 8, 2014
Pine Tribe Author Interviews: Thomas Flindt [Video]
In this edition of Pine Tribe Author Interviews, I undergo my very first Laughter Yoga session with Scandinavia’s Laughter Guru, Thomas Flindt.
Thomas Flindt has been laughing for a living for over a decade. Through his work, major corporations such as Microsoft and Novo Nordisk call on him to lead them in laughter workshops. These workshops help their employees relieve stress and get in touch with the present moment.
In his book, Happy Lemons, Thomas reveals how Laughter Yoga goes beyond just stress relief. Putting his own theories to the test, he conducted a yearlong experiment to see how laughter in the work place would impact productivity. The results were staggering—after the first month, the company’s sales had increased by 40%!
I admit that I was highly skeptical of the concept at first. I didn’t truly grasp the concept of how laughter could breed success. After taking part in a short session, I can say with confidence that I have been converted. I instantly felt the revitalising effects of a short laughter yoga class, and felt a unique peace of mind that I had never experienced before.
Take a look at the full interview below where we see Laughter Yoga in action. We also get to hear Thomas tell the story of how he discovered the true power of laughter, and what it means to him.
The post Pine Tribe Author Interviews: Thomas Flindt [Video] appeared first on Pine Tribe.
October 3, 2014
Five Shared Healing Powers of Lemons and Laughter
Last week I sat down with Thomas Flindt, laughter guru and author of Happy Lemons, and found out the reason behind the use of “lemons” for his book title. Certainly, the cheerful yellow nature of lemons doesn’t hurt the image, but the real reason behind the name was actually much more scientific than I realised. Lemons actually have a myriad of healing powers, much like laughter does, so they fit together quite well. In fact, ancient Egyptians believed lemons were protective against poisons, a belief which has been proven correct by modern science. As Thomas expresses in Happy Lemons, laughter also comes with many benefits for both the body and mind. In honour of Happy Lemons, here are five examples of the shared healing powers of lemons and laughter.
1. Detoxifying and Cleansing
Daily consumption of lemons, such as drinking lemon water, ensures the increased production of bile, which is a substance necessary for digestion. Conversely, lemon juice also controls the flow of excess bile, making sure that the digestive tract remains undamaged, preventing ulcers. This also allows for the liver, the body’s primary cleanser, to remove toxins at an optimal level.
2. Cancer prevention
Lemons are rich in compounds called citrus liminoids, which protect cells from damage that can lead to the formation of cancerous cells. This is a compound our bodies are readily able to absorb, and lemons (and limes) contain almost as much of this compound as they do of Vitamin C. While lemons can make your body stronger, laughter can as well. Humour is a natural pain-killer, as well as giving us a stronger immune response.
3. Rejuvenation
Lemons are antiseptic by nature and help to treat various skin problems such as scares and burns. A rich source in Vitamin C, lemon brings a natural glow to the skin and rejuvenates damaged skin tissue. When applied to the skin it can help to treat wrinkles, sunburns, pigmentation, scars, and blackheads. Much like lemons, a good laughter session can also be very rejuvenating for the mind by promoting relaxation.
4. Fight infection
The antiseptic nature of lemons also make them powerful in fighting infections. Due to their anti-bacterial properties, lemons are an excellent remedy for treating problems related to throat infections such as a simple sore throat or even tonsillitis. While excessive laughter might not be great for your throat, laughter can help your body fight ailments such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
5. Balancing
While lemons may seem quite acidic, they ave incredible alkalizing properties that can help balance your body’s pH. While laughter may not be balancing to our pH levels, it balances the mind and fights stress. After a good laughter session, one feels more relaxed and emotionally balanced.
Laughter may be the best medicine, but lemons are probably a close second. These are of course just five of the MANY health benefits of lemons, but these were some of the ones which I felt related most to the healing powers of laughter. A more comprehensive list of the healing powers of lemons can be found here. After learning so much about the healing powers of lemons, it is no surprise why Thomas made them the “mascot” for his book.
The post Five Shared Healing Powers of Lemons and Laughter appeared first on Pine Tribe.
September 17, 2014
What is Happiness: Thomas Flindt Advises CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta
It’s no secret that Denmark is the happiest country on earth—in fact we seem to hear about it from every possible report and news source out there. What does seem to be the secret, though, is simply: “Why?”
The World Happiness Report rationalises mathematically why Denmark takes the top spot through topics such as well-being, healthcare, life satisfaction, etc.—but there has to be more to it. What is so special about the Danish people that they consistently rank at the top of every chart?
That’s the question that CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wanted to answer. In his CNN Special “Vital Signs with Dr. Sanjay Gupta”, Gupta investigates the true meaning of happiness and, in particular, what makes some people happier than others? In the quest for his answer, Gupta naturally decided to visit Denmark, hoping to find the formula for high satisfaction as well as happiness.
Through his investigation, Dr. Gupta met with Pine Tribe’s own Laughter Guru, Thomas Flindt, with the hope of solving the mystery of happiness. Thomas is renowned for being an expert on all “laughing” matters, and his book Happy Lemons details the power of laughter, and how it can bring success to peoples’ lives. While visiting Denmark, Dr. Gupta underwent one of Thomas’ infamous Laughter Sessions. These sessions are commonly used to help people find peace of mind and access to the present moment—all through laughter.
You can get updates from Thomas Flindt by following him on Facebook and Goodreads
If you’ve ever wondered why Danes are so happy, or if you want to learn how to achieve happiness yourself, make sure that you don’t miss Dr. Gupta’s special. Check out the schedule below, and tune in to CNN to discover the secrets of happiness.
Wednesday 17 September at 1030 BST/ 1130 CET and 1730 BST/ 1830 CET
Saturday 20 September at 0530 BST/ 0630 CET and 1930 BST/ 2030 CET
Sunday 21 September at 1330 BST/ 1430 CET
Saturday 27 September at 1330 BST/ 1430 CET
Monday 28 September at 0530 BST/ 0630 CET and 1930 BST/ 2030 CET
Duration: 30 minutes
The post What is Happiness: Thomas Flindt Advises CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta appeared first on Pine Tribe.
August 22, 2014
How Laughter Yoga Became My Passion
In 2002, I decided to become a motivational speaker. After reading several books on personal development, great changes started happening in my life. I went from being a part time negative person, to an almost full time positive person. I was really inspired and I knew that my path was to inspire other people to have a great life.
In 2003, I explored the personal development market. I sampled a variety of the methods out there, and I completed modules, courses and workshops in psychotherapy, NLP, and meditation. After bouncing between all of these personal development theories and practices, I ended up stumbling into a laughter workshop.
You can get updates from Thomas Flindt by following him on Facebook and Goodreads
In this laughter yoga session, I experienced all the values I wished for in my life. All of the values I wished to communicate to others came to me one by one. It was like stringing pearls onto a thread as everything I wished for came together. All it took was a long, deep, and intense immersion in laughter. The amazing thing was that I suddenly experienced these values as living, real entities—not just as abstract theory or philosophy. I felt them both physically and psychologically as they sprang directly from my laughter. I felt a vivid presence and awareness within myself, and the same awareness was reflected by the other participants in the group. I felt a great love for both myself and for those laughing with me. I experienced a deep contact with life itself. I experienced true freedom.
During and after this laughter session, I was held in a state of intense contact with the present moment and an equally intense feeling of happiness and joy. It felt as though I had come home to my true self. I knew that I had discovered something quite special. Two months after the experience, I handed in my notice as a teacher and devoted myself to the path of laughter.
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August 11, 2014
Happiness in Denmark: CNN Talks Laughter with Thomas Flindt
It seems that it has become common knowledge that Denmark is the happiest country on earth. Therefore, when CNN was filming a special segment investigating happiness in Denmark, it wasn’t a surprise that they reached out to Pine Tribe’s own Thomas Flindt, Scandinavia’s Laughter Guru and author of Happy Lemons: How Laughter Breeds Success.
On a beautiful Danish summer day, CNN’s award winning chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, met with Thomas on the lawn in front of Frederiksberg Castle. Here they were joined by 30 Danes (including men, women, and children of all ages), all of who had flocked to participate in one of Thomas’ infamous laughter yoga sessions.
Thomas Flindt showed CNN’s Dr. Sanjay and his producer Danielle how laughter increases happiness in Denmark
Happiness in Denmark through Laughter Exercises
Thomas hosted a 30-minute session, which included breathing, stretching, and most importantly—laughter exercises. After all the laughs had been shared, Dr. Sanjay and Thomas discussed why Denmark is the happiest country on earth, the power of laughter, and how important it is to embrace laughter in daily life.
Thomas’ goals includes getting people in touch with their true laughing self. If you have ever wondered if you truly are in touch with your laughter, you can take Thomas’ quiz. Here you can see if you are leading the way for your laughter, or if you could benefit from of some laughter exercises.
The CNN special will air in September, so keep an eye out if you want to learn about the importance of laughter. We at Pine Tribe will be sharing updates and reminders leading up to the event.
If you can’t wait until September to investigate the power of laughter, check out some of Thomas’ articles below, as well as his book Happy Lemons: How Laughter Breeds Success.
HAPPY LEMONS
by Thomas Flindt, The Laughter Guru
AVAILABLE IN PRINT AND DIGITAL.
$US 9.30**Currency conversion varies
The post Happiness in Denmark: CNN Talks Laughter with Thomas Flindt appeared first on Pine Tribe.
August 5, 2014
What Is Laughter Yoga?
Did you know that you can actually laugh for a living? Well, that is what Thomas Flindt, laughter guru and author of Happy Lemons: How Happiness Breeds Success, has been doing since 2003. As the title of his book suggests, Thomas is a firm believer that happiness breeds success, not the other way around. He has used his laughter knowledge to help individuals, groups, and businesses find their laughing selves. One of the ways Thomas does this is through laughter yoga – but you’re probably wondering, what on earth is laughter yoga?!
What is laughter yoga?
Laughter Yoga is a unique routine which combines unconditional laughter with breathing exercises found in yoga practice. Anyone can laugh without relying on jokes or comedy. The laughter exercises are intended to promote childlike playfulness and begin as a physical exercise while maintaining eye contact with other people in the group. As you might imagine, what begins as a simple exercise soon turns into real, contagious laughter that is hard to stop!
Laughter yoga sessions sometimes end with laughter meditation. This is an unstructured laughter session where participants sit or lie down and focus on the moment, allowing laughter to flow naturally. It is a powerful experience that often leads to a healthy emotional catharsis and joyful feeling that can last for hours or even days after the session.
Why try laughter yoga?
Laughter yoga encourages you to laugh loudly and with your whole body – not just laugh at what’s going on in your mind. This type of laughter provides many physical and emotional benefits:
Elevates mood
Improves health
Energise your body
Builds a positive outlook
A good, powerful laughing session strengthens the immune system so that you don’t become sick easily. Laughter Yoga is a cardio workout and just 10 minutes of hearty laughter is equal to 30 minutes of other forms of exercise such as running or rowing. It promotes blood circulation, relaxes muscles, and increases oxygen flow to the body and brain. It is also a powerful antidote for depression, reduces blood pressure, reduces symptoms of allergies, asthma, arthritis and helps in chronic illnesses like cancer. Participants often report feeling the benefits after only one session!
Since laughter yoga is something which is done in a group of people, it offers social benefits as well. Laughter yoga provides a social network to members offering emotional support and acknowledgment – after all laughter is one of the most powerful tools for connecting with people! Laughter yoga teaches us that we can laugh even when everything is not going so well, providing us the strength to deal with adversity in the future.
A full list and explanation of the health benefits of laughter yoga can be found here.
You can get updates from Thomas Flindt by following him on Facebook and Goodreads
DO’S and Don’ts of Laughter Yoga
There are a few tips to keep in mind when trying out laughter yoga for yourself:
DO: Arrive with an open mind. Some of the exercises can seem a little silly or unnatural at first, but once you get into it, natural laughter flows easily and soon enough you won’t be able to stop laughing.
DON’T: Hold back. The purpose of doing the exercises is to laugh vocally with your whole body. Holding back won’t allow you to feel the same beneficial effects.
DO: Release your inner child. The exercises are intended to bring out the childlike playfulness in all of us.
DON’T: Think you must be funny to participate. This type of laughter routine has nothing to do with comedy, humour, or telling jokes.
For more information on the power of laughter, check out Thomas’ book, Happy Lemons:
happy lemons
by Thomas Flindt, The Laughter Guru
Available in print and digital.
$US 9.30**Currency conversion varies
Images from here.
The post What Is Laughter Yoga? appeared first on Pine Tribe.
July 31, 2014
5 Ways We Connect With Others Through Laughter
By now you’re probably aware that Denmark ranks #1 for reported levels of happiness, but what are the contributing factors to this happiness? Many experts cite a high level of social cohesion as just one of the many reasons attributed to the Danish happiness – many Danes belong to social clubs and participate in volunteer work. An excellent work-life balance also means that time with family and friends is simply a high priority here. This is why I turned to Thomas Flindt, laughter expert and author of Happy Lemons, to find inspiration on how to use laughter to connect with others – everyone from family to strangers.
Laughter in love
When we are in love, we simply laugh more – we communicate our love with laughter. Thomas believes this is true because when we are in love, we are living more in the present moment and we use laughter to express our acceptance and feelings towards the other person.
If you are still searching for your one and only, laughter can help you there too. Laughter provides positive energy vibrations which attract other positive people to you – you get what you vibrate! Laughter also increases the blood flow to the blood capillaries in your skin, giving it a nice glow and thus making you more attractive.
laughter in friendships
Laughter opens your heart – it is difficult to hate the person you are laughing with. Over our lives, many of the strongest friendships we make are with the people we have shared good times with. When we laugh, our bodies produce a whole range of good hormones such as oxytocin which creates a brilliant environment for us to bond with others. Laughter is therefore the perfect shortcut to building a stronger sense of connectedness no matter where we find ourselves.
You can get updates from Thomas Flindt by following him on Facebook and Goodreads
laughter in the family
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the stresses of everyday life, but laughter can alleviate much of this stress and promote well-being and relaxation. Laughter lightens our moods, and the moods of those nearest to us, so incorporating humour into our family lives can brighten the connection we have with those we see everyday.
Laughter also improves relationships with the children in our families (whether they are our children or young cousins, nieces, nephews, etc.). I remember that I was always able to communicate with my younger cousins who didn’t speak English through the shared experience of laughter. Children can be our greatest teachers of happiness if we let them be.
laughter at work
One of they key components of Danish work happiness/arbejdsglaede is good relationships with colleagues. Laughter in the office can release creative energy and promote problem-solving activities. You can use laughter to diffuse conflict and work towards group bonding – a team that laughs together is better able to handle challenges effectively.
Thomas has visited many work teams and introduced them to laughter sessions intended to promote better staff relations and a better working environment. He believes these sessions work because they allow employees to be more open and have faith in each other.
Former American president Bill Clinton and former Russian president Boris Yeltsin share a laugh in 1995.
laughter With Strangers
Danes don’t generally talk to strangers in public, so this tip is inspired by my own American upbringing. Studies have shown that interaction with strangers can make you happier; commuters in Chicago who interacted with others around them on public transportation a more positive commute than those who sat in silence/isolation. One of the best ways to connect with strangers is to make them laugh. People enjoy others who can make them laugh; it all goes back to those positive energy vibrations and how much more open we become when we laugh. Try getting out of your own head and see what happens when you are able to connect with strangers through laughter.
Laughter is an important tool we can use to connect with others in all of our relationships – even strangers! Laughing with others is far more powerful than laughing alone. For more laughter inspiration, check out Thomas’ book, Happy Lemons.
happy lemons
by Thomas Flindt, The Laughter Guru
Available in print and digital.
$US 9.30**Currency conversion varies
The post 5 Ways We Connect With Others Through Laughter appeared first on Pine Tribe.
June 24, 2014
Children: Experts of Happiness Pt 2
Part 2 of 2
Children have and do something that makes life easier to live. As we adults observe children, it is obvious that we will come to think now and then, “How easy it is to be a child!” But we should ask ourselves occasionally: “What actually makes it so difficult to be an adult?”
If we want to become experts in the art of happiness, then we need to observe the true experts of genuine happiness: children. Children express feelings, opinions and experiences much more freely than we adults do. All acts of expression release something within you. The more you have released, the more you are your self. The more you are able to be your true self, the more often you will celebrate life and yourself through laughter. When you have let go of tension and internal blockages through expressing your emotions and thoughts, you become free to actually feel yourself. When you can really feel your body, then the energy and joy of life is there inside you like a feather, constantly tickling your insides. Bubbles of happiness lie just under the surface of you skin, you are released, you are free, you don’t ask questions about your laughter – you just laugh.
You can get updates from Thomas Flindt by following him on Facebook and Goodreads
Play with life
Children just play. Who told children that they have to play? Nobody! Play is the natural way to explore one’s creativity, and children also find out as they play that life itself is very creative. Anything is possible in the world of play, and isn’t that just a liberating thought in itself? If you entertain the thought that anything is possible, then you open up for creative manifestation on all levels. Therefore, it is also important that you, as an adult, stimulate your brain through playful activity. When we adults deal with our daily tasks and working life, we usually operate within the framework of what is possible. But remember, it is only the sum of your previous experiences that provides the framework of what is possible for you. When we bring play to our daily tasks and objectives, we will suddenly notice things we didn’t think were possible. There is a coupling between play and seriousness that leads to the development of new skills and ideas. When we have developed a new skill or idea, it gives us greater self-confidence. When we become more self-confident, we grow as people. When we grow, we experience new sides of life that bring us happiness and enjoyment.
Play with the problem
Bring more play into your life – both privately and in the workplace. When you sit with a problem, then try and play with the thought that it is actually easy to solve and you have a wide range of possibilities for dealing with it. When we hear the word problem, many of us have a tendency to lose impetus, or even become so overwhelmed that we cannot act. If you are just a little bit shy of conflicts, then problems are really tough to handle. Erase the word and replace it with challenge. The word challenge is challenging in itself and it opens up for creativity. When you are presented with challenges at work or in your private life, playfully open up for a creative flow of ideas and thoughts. Play that anything is possible. Play that there are no limitations. Play that your ideas will change the course of history itself. Who knows, maybe they will!
When a child dresses as a superhero, they become a hero! Use a similar approach when facing a challenge. Play that you are the overcomer of challenges, and it may just be the push you need!
It is also healthy to play when you need a break from yourself or your work. If your brain has been working under great pressure for a long time, then it needs a break to play. Many companies have found out how important this need is. In my work as a laughter instructor, I have visited hundreds of businesses over the past few years, and have noticed that those workplaces characterised by a particular enthusiasm and energy amongst employees, were those where management had an explicit policy recognizing the importance of play at work. Table tennis, go-carts, table football and all kinds of other toys were made freely accessible to the employees. Fantastic! But also pretty much common sense. A fun, happy and playful worker must be preferable to the opposite. In reality, it is not really children who need more toys, but us adults. When will Toys ‘R’ Us actually open a department for 18-90 year olds? I’m serious—if you work for Toys ‘R’ Us, please take this challenge up immediately.
The light psychology of play
Play’s light psychology is maybe the easiest and most fun way to open up for your potential. If you really want to excel at something, play that you already excel. When your brain knows that it is just a game, then you have nothing to lose.
When I became self-employed in 2003, I had to make a concerted effort to enter the market of lectures and courses. I had opened my own little one-man enterprise, which offered courses for Danish companies in improving their working environment. I didn’t find it fun calling different companies to sell myself. So I tried a completely different tactic: I played that I was calling people. I imagined that the people who answered the telephone were not really serious business folk, but just ‘playmates’ I could practice on. I quickly became skilled in formulating myself in a playful way. After just a few days on the phone, I managed to sell a course of ten lectures to one of Denmark’s biggest trade unions. I was also featured in their magazine with a series of articles. That was the start of my career.
As a Laughter Guru, Thomas has helped countless people find the power of laughter as a way to become successful and balanced.
Bring more fun into your life!
Introduce play-days at your workplace. For example, write in your planner: “On Wednesday I will play that I go to work. At work I will play that I am dealing with different tasks. On Wednesday going to work will be a game. All the challenges that arise that day, I will playfully solve. Who knows, before the month is out, I might be promoted on the basis of the huge profits that I have been responsible for creating!”
Introduce private play-days. Your next day-off should be reserved for fun and games. It’s most effective if you actually do write this in your planner so that you keep your date. Play that you get up in the morning. Play that you make yourself and your partner a delicious breakfast. Play that you clean the house. Play that you do the washing. Play that you are the most amusing mother or father in the world. Play that you are the best friend in the world. Play that you are everything you want to be. Play – dance – be happy and free.
happy lemons
by Thomas Flindt, The Laughter Guru
Available in print and digital.
$US 9.30**Currency conversion varies
The post Children: Experts of Happiness Pt 2 appeared first on Pine Tribe.
June 17, 2014
Children: Experts of Happiness Pt I
Children have and do something that makes life easier to live. As we adults observe children, it is obvious that we will come to think now and then, “How easy it is to be a child!” But we should ask ourselves occasionally: “What actually makes it so difficult to be an adult?”
One of the reasons why children are experts on happiness is that they allow their senses to be stimulated more than adults. Art and crafts, music, sport, playtime, dance, imagination and storytelling are a completely natural part of any day for a child in a kindergarten. Why? Because it is important – important for balanced development. As we never stop developing until the day we die, there will be parts of us that will be under-stimulated if we do not utilise all our senses throughout life.
Dance
Children dance freely. To move is the most natural thing in the world for a child. As a child, you found it easy to move your body, to dance and express yourself; there were no concepts of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ movement. In other words, the body of a child is free to follow its own will to move and feel. A child’s body is much more liberated, joyous and alive. Children are happy people in happy bodies. If we sit still too much as adults, we become locked in our bodies, and since many of our feelings and expressions are in the body, we risk becoming emotionally and expressively blocked. You must use your fantastic and flexible body. The body needs a great deal of movement, including creative movement. It’s not enough just to go down to the corner shop every day. I want to encourage you to explore much more imaginative and festive ways your body can move.
It is a fact that the body remembers everything. Every cell of your body has a store of memories about everything you have ever experienced or felt in that body. Open up for the “Ministry of Silly Walks” (Monty Python’s Flying Circus). Do you remember the sketch, where they walk around in weird and wacky ways? If you don’t remember (or would like a refresher), it’s included below. Perhaps you have tried walking or dancing in such a silly way yourself?
You can get updates from Thomas Flindt by following him on Facebook and Goodreads
When you connect to the movements, the play and the dance you have stored as memories in your cellular makeup, your body will automatically open up for the happiness that lies within these movements. If you have never tried to walk in a really silly way, or dance like you’re out of your mind, then now is the time to try it. Try it when you are alone to start with. Put on some light-hearted music, (maybe something made for the younger generation) let go of your worries and your feelings of self-consciousness, and dance like a crazy fool! You can also practice your silly walk at home. Exaggerate your arm or leg movements. Lift your legs a bit too high or add a little cha-cha-cha to your arm movements. Suddenly, it’s a lot more fun just walking around your house. You can also add a little dance number to your daily chores. Shake your hips as you shimmy around with the vacuum cleaner. Make a party of doing the housework. I have disco music set as my ringtone. When I sit working in my office, and the telephone rings in the living room, I get up and dance to the telephone. Just that little dance done on the way to the phone, makes me feel so great that when I pick up the phone, I can do it with genuine happiness in my voice. I have placed the telephone in the next room on purpose – to make sure I do my dance number every time it rings.
It doesn’t have to be crazy, but make sure you dance every time you get the chance. When we adults dance, we often have the idea that we have to dance in a particular way. The adult ego takes the task of dancing very seriously: “I just have to be the perfect dancer and a wrong step will not be tolerated!” Many of those who hang around the edges of discotheques and look longingly at the flirting dancers on the dance floor can’t bring themselves to get out there and join in for a very simple reason: they are afraid of dancing in the wrong way! But, I have good news for you, dear wallflowers – there is no ‘wrong’ way of dancing. Dance is freedom and play. Dance does not demand that you be perfect. Dance is an invitation to have fun, so take the chance when it offers itself. Don’t wait to try and start dancing until you are sitting in a nursing home. Dance while you still have the energy. Dance while you are still alive. Dance now!
happy lemons
by Thomas Flindt, The Laughter Guru
Available in print and digital.
$US 9.30**Currency conversion varies
Image from: here
The post Children: Experts of Happiness Pt I appeared first on Pine Tribe.
