If you have heard me speak, then you know that I encourage everyone to create a personal HPOA or Humor Plan of Action. It comes in handy as our day unfolds in unexpected ways and our stress level increases. Having an HPOA can help us return back to a balanced state after we have met with an at-need family. It can lift your mood, ease your pain, help you breathe deeply and put a smile on your face once again. This winter it has been invaluable to me as I face yet another below zero day that may/may not involve more snow and ice interfering with my commute to work.
It is simple to create a Humor Plan of Action. Simply write down on paper (or create a word document on your computer/laptop/tablet/iPhone. See how easily life gets so complicated that we need to laugh more?!) a list of things that get you to laugh. It may be playing with your pet, reading the cartoon section of your newspaper (once you are done with the obituary section) or watching your favorite situation comedy on TV (DVR, Netflix, Hulu…again life can be so complicated with so many options to choose from.) You may keep a Joy Basket in your office filled with fun toys like slinkys, clown noses and bubbles to allow for a quick humor break when needed. Maybe you are lucky enough to work with people who make you laugh or your home is filled with humor and joy. Maybe you are the “class clown” always ready with a joke or story, who has such a quick wit that you leave a “trail of sunshine” wherever you go.
For most of us, we get so involved in our tasks at hand that taking time for humor drops on our list of things to do each day. However, once we understand all that it does for us, we quickly begin to value it more and seek it out whenever we can. Laughter reduces our stress instantly, boosts our immune system (good-bye cold and flu season), allows for creative problem solving and better memory recall, and reduces both physical and emotional pain and more. Most of all, it is readily accessible, costs nothing and feels great.
To get you started on your HPOA, l would like to share with you a list of websites where I go whenever I need to take a quick humor break. Even a couple of minutes on these sites can get my laughter going and tears running down my face (which is better than when I laugh so hard the tears run down my leg!)
www.youtube.com. Enter in the search bar your favorite comedian and watch their best comedy bits. Put in your favorite TV show’s blooper reel and watch what happens when they goof up their lines.
www.dogshaming.com. Bad dog! Don’t just say it; share it with the world on this fun website where dogs expose to the world their misdeeds. (Note: There is no official cat shaming site, probably because it is impossible to make a cat feel bad about their behavior!)
www.boredshorts.tv. Children describe scenarios (like job interviews, math class, slumber parties and The Bachelor) and adults lip sync and act out their conversation. Warning: This site is addictive and so much fun! www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com. You may have seen the books, calendars and greeting cards, now visit the website that holds them all. You can even send in your own family photo to share with the world. Your family photo albums will not seem so bad after all once you take a look at this site.
www.google.com/images. Search images for funny memes, babies, snowmen…anything you can think of, someone with too much time on their hands has created an image to make you laugh.
www.drawastickman.com. It is a fun game where you draw your own stick figure and send it on adventures. Way cooler than it sounds.
So those are some of mine. I’d love to hear from you, what fun websites you visit. I will share your information in a future article. Wishing you joy-filled moments, chocolate ice cream dreams and deep belly baby laughter.