Allene's Insights

Thoughts and Ponderings from
America's First Lady of Broadcast Psychic Counseling,
Allene Cunningham

May 2008

LAUGHTER

All of you have heard laughter is good medicine. Of course, it's true! Laughter can help you through anxiety, stress -- and many an awkward moment.

In growing up, my younger sister and I slept in the same bed. Many times in the middle of the night -- 3 or 4 a.m., she would wake me up laughing and I would say, "What's wrong with you?" She'd say, "I just love to laugh -- it makes me feel so good!" I always thought, well, could you time your laughter a little earlier in the evening, say 7 or 8 instead of 3 in the morning? Rather than stressing out about it, I would have been better off joining in her laughter and enjoying the moment!

Often, if we can find the funny side of things, it will take away the stress or anxiety. When we see the funny side of our mistakes and laugh at ourselves, people will find us human and likeable. They laugh with us -- much nicer to have people laugh with us than at us.

I embraced a potentially embarrassing occurrence once when I was singing on an elevated platform wearing an umbrella hat. When reaching for a high note I leaned my head back and the hat fell off - I just kept going. After the song, I just left the hat on the floor. The deacon said to me, "Did you know that you lost your hat?" I laughed and said, "Oh, thank you." No embarrassment, just a good natured laugh allowed the audience to laugh with me - they all wanted to laugh anyway, but were being "polite."
There is something really fine about being in a crowd and causing everybody to laugh.

Years ago I attended a wedding and in the middle of the ceremony the minister said to the bride, "Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Of course, the bride just stood there and the minister stood there. It was a large wedding and everyone snickered because it was funny. When the ceremony was over I talked to the bride's mother and I said that the minister's mistake was really funny. She said, "Shhh, don't mention it." Instead of embracing the slip of the tongue, she wanted everyone to pretend it hadn't happened. Of course, it was funny and everybody who heard it would talk about it when they went home. So laughing about it would have released her stress and embarrassment and let her keep it all in perspective. Besides, things like these become favorite family stories, told and laughed about for years and years!

Many times people fill themselves with anxiety and stress over any embarrassing or unfortunate mishap to the point that they go to bed and can't even sleep. If they see the funny side of those things and laugh at them, they can do away with anxiety and stress.

Be willing to laugh!! Remember that in laughing at yourself, you invite others to laugh with you.

Look at your life and if you are filled with stress and anxiety turn it around by finding the humor and just laugh -- because it makes you feel so good!

"Laughter is the beginning of prayer." -- Reinhold Niebuhr, theologian

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