Kickass personal transformation is a journey punctuated with laughter and an increasing ability to recognize the humor in situations and relationships. Transformation, recovery, and healing are turbo-charged when you step outside yourself and embrace a sense of playfulness and joyful discovery. When you relax and take it easy, living life in the present moment, the beauty of life springs up to meet you on your path.
Laughter takes the edge off stress and pain, and engages both hemispheres of the brain. Laughter stimulates learning and enhances memory. A sense of humor dispels anger, increases optimism and elevates mood. Cultivate and practice a commitment to never take yourself too seriously. Feelings of entitlement, self-importance and grandiosity fuel addiction, anger and impatience. Black and white thinking, catastrophizing and other cognitive distortions make you tense and overly serious.
Loosen up with laughter. Develop your sense of humor — ask yourself what’s funny about your situation, your life, your past. A humiliating experience can become a kickass water cooler story if you look back on it with a sense of humor. Ask other people what is the funniest thing that ever happened to them. Discuss funny situations and experiences with friends and family and expand the laughs by viewing things from many different angles. You get what you’re looking for in life — whatever you focus on comes back to you tenfold.
Transform your self talk: Say, “I’m relaxed and confident. I’m adept at seeing the funny side of a situation. Whatever annoyance or defeat life throws in my path becomes fodder for my fabulous humor, my funny story generator. When things go against the grain, I win with humor. Go ahead and try it — just for laughs!
A sense of humor increases optimism, hope and confidence. Hope energizes, sustains, and increases patience as you expect, and eventually realize the manifestation of your dreams and goals. Confidence works with hope as you act as if you are already surrounded by everything you are hoping for. Live each day in optimism, hope and confidence, and experience joy in the result. And that’s kickass.
“Hope is a waking dream.” — Aristotle