Humor Quest

Stress Causes Brain Shrinkage

2012-03-11T18:04:00.006-07:00

The headline in the Dana Press newsletter shouted to me. Stress Causes Brain Shrinkage. My work in exploring the benefits of humor and advocating laughter for stress reduction has been going on for a number of years. So I have had a great interest in the research on stress, but this past month new information has emerged on my radar.

According to The Dana Foundation, A new Yale study shows that stress can reduce brain volume and function, even in otherwise healthy individuals. This study was published Jan 5 in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The amount of gray matter in the brain is actually decreased with stress and makes it more difficult for people to manage stressful situations in the future. This is the first study to show the impact of cumulative stress on the brain in other-wise healthy individuals.

Toxic stress impacts infant development in utero. It is becoming increasingly clear that the stress of the mother impacts the child. The stress of single parenting, poverty, illness and emotional distress all contribute to toxic stress in both parent and child. Unfunded mandates, excess testing, unfair teacher evaluation, lack of funding and stressed children are creating hostile environments in our schools.

There are amazing videos highlighting this research from The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. These videos are free and came to my attention through my participation in Alignment Rockford "Talk2Me programs. I was asked to provide trainings that had been developed to encourage attachment between caregivers and infants. It is such a critical need to encourage parents in the bonding that is so critical for healthy emotional well being. This attachment directly impacts the capacity of the child for learning later in life.

Stress impacts the regions of the brain that regulate emotional and control impulses. Have you noticed that there seems to be a lot of kids with unregulated emotions and numerous students with extreme lack of impulse control? Educators have noticed and are frustrated with the lack of attention to this critical issues. Richard Davidson addresses the research in this video on The Heart Brain Connection.

Addressing the issues of toxic stress will take time, but it is encouraging that the research is now emerging frequently on our radar screens.

Why Schools Should Be Funnier

2012-03-04T01:38:00.003-08:00

After years of being treated like a non-entity, humor is finally getting a glimmer of recognition as being a significant factor in learning. I was thrilled to see a reference to my book, Using Humor to Maximize Learning in this week’s education page of the Washington Post. Unfortunately, humor is not quite yet a part of the mainstream media in education. We need to continue to share the research from the field of neuroscience on the impact that humor can have on learning.

Students and teachers are under enormous pressure to improve test scores, with an increasingly greater focus on a basing teacher evaluation on student scores. Diane Ravitch highlights these issues in an article in “The New York Review of Books”.

"Like George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind, Barack Obama’s Race to the Top program is part of what Pasi Sahlberg calls “the Global Education Reform Movement,” or GERM. GERM demands teaching to the test. GERM assumes that students must be constantly tested, and that the results of these tests are the most important measures and outcomes of education. The scores can be used not only to grade the quality of every school, but also to punish or reward students, teachers, principals, and schools. Those at the top of the education system, the elected officials and leaders who make the rules, create the budgets, and allocate resources, are never accountable for the consequences of their decisions. GERM assumes that people who work in schools need carrots and sticks to persuade (or compel) them to do their best".

There is a misconception that providing incentives ( like more money) will be a motivator for teachers to improve their teaching. The fact of the matter is that most teachers teach because they love teaching and they believe they are making a difference in the lives of kids. AND they teach because they believe that learning is exciting, energizing and fun. After I provide workshops on humor and stress, numerous teachers tell me that they are infusing humor into their teaching every day. Many express gratitude not only for the permission, but for the encouragement to increase the use of humor in their classroom. They appreciate the research that the use of humor can indeed facilitate the learning process.

It is heartwarming to read that my book on humor is making the mainstream media.

2012-02-28T11:53:00.003-08:00

So excited that the press release that I wrote for the AATH conference, The Neuroscience of Humor and Education: A Focus at the AATH Conference is hitting the news media outlets in Chicago. This conference takes hours of volunteer planning time and incredible energy by the dedicated members of this humor organization. It is a joy to work with them. I cannot begin to tell you all I have learned from members of this fantastic organization.

This year the conference is in the Midwest for the first time in a number of years. If you know an Illinois teacher who would like CPDU credits--this is a great and fun way to get those credits. Nurses, social workers and counselors also can receive CE credits.

Join us for this Beat the Blues with Humor conference

Top Ten Reasons that Humor is FUNdamental for Education.

2012-02-24T15:13:00.002-08:00

Honored to be invited by author Bob Sylwester to be a part of this e-book by IAE-pedia. Check out my article, The Top Ten Reasons Humor is FUNdamental for Education.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Conference-Savings-Extended--Register-Now-.html?soid=1098465485203&aid=TSORT62fEPg

2012-02-20T05:50:00.000-08:00

Great organization! Check out the conference!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Conference-Savings-Extended--Register-Now-.html?soid=1098465485203&aid=TSORT62fEPg

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/ONLY-604-000-seconds-left--.html?soid=1098465485203&aid=dhMNuCCw55k

2011-02-15T08:11:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/ONLY-604-000-seconds-left--.html?soid=1098465485203&aid=dhMNuCCw55k

Have a Heart

2011-02-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

Do you remember decorating shoe boxes in grade school for Valentines Day? It was fun cutting out pink paper and edging the lace to make the old box look fancy. Excitement grew as we wrote our cards and dropped them into the boxes. Bringing home that box with all of the valentines and eating the heart-shaped sugar cookies were part of my elementary school memories.

Of course there is not time for this in school today. I do not believe that valentine design is part of the learning standards. You know that there is certainly not time to waste on frivolous activities. Studying for national and state tests are critically important to “show” that our kids know their stuff.

Too bad the stuff they learn will not include the art of having time for heart-felt learning!

What Is Your Humor Style?

2011-02-05T04:06:00.000-08:00

What makes you laugh? Who is your favorite comedian? These are a few of the questions that are involved in the workshop that I will be presenting this coming week called "Your Humor Style is Your Communication Partner".

The topic of humor styles has fascinated me for quite a while. I think most of us are mildly aware of our humor preferences and know that we prefer to be with friends and colleagues who appreciate our unique sense of humor. As part of the workshop this week, we will be actively looking at jokes, cartoons and identifying movies, and situations that we find funny. I will ask participants to think about how they use humor in communicating with others. How can a person enhance their humor practice to include more humor in their relationships?

I invite you to notice what makes you laugh. You might jot down those things that you find especially funny. Try to identify what kind of humor brings out a hearty chuckle. Is it puns, slapstick, stories, exaggeration, jokes, cartoons?

Awareness of our humor style is the first step in our ability to focus on integrating more humor into our communication with colleagues and friends.

As for me, I especially love short quips and quotes! "Remember-My dog can lick anyone!"

Humor Quest: Pieces of Love

2011-01-04T05:18:00.000-08:00

Humor Quest: Pieces of Love: "Happy New Year! Oh my! How did we get through another year so quickly AND--what do you remember about 2010? In looking back I am reminde..."

Pieces of Love

2011-01-04T04:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Oh my! How did we get through another year so quickly AND--what do you remember about 2010? In looking back I am reminded that strong memories emerge from strong emotional experiences. Your 2010 memories are most likely linked to whatever strong emotional reactions you had this year.

As I get older memories seem to merge and I find that I cannot exactly remember which year a traumatic or joyful event occurred. However, I do have super-charged experiences etched somewhere in my mind----even if they are not on a specific time line. Frequently my children and others remind me of something and memories come flooding back. Can you imagine how many experiences are stored in our brains? I am grateful to the research pioneers who are dedicated to learning how this organ works. I do know from their research that I have some control over my thoughts and over what memories I choose to plant in my own gray matter. Repetition creates strong neural pathways.

With this in mind (pun intended) I choose 2011 to be a year that I fully emerge myself in the joyful and positive events in my life. I want to fully appreciate and create joyful experiences, reliving them through writing; consciously expressing gratitude for the flow and ebb of positivity in my life.

My 4 year old granddaughter recently sent me a thank you note with a lot of random dots and spots on the envelope. Her mother labeled these as "pieces of love" that this child told her she was sending to me. I have kept this envelope and posted it in my desk area. Each time I look at it, I feel the pieces of love wash over me and I am filled with gratitude.

As you navigate the challenges and stress in your life, I encourage you to focus on the pieces of love that pop up in your life in unexpected places. We know that gratitude journals and expressions of appreciation contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

My wish for you in the new year is that you experience pieces of love with amazing frequency and that these memories fill your heart and head for years to come.

When the Christmas tree falls over!

2010-12-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

Yes---- I am laughing through the holidays. I am working on practicing the purposeful use of humor during times that I feel especially stressed. I am sure that you are also trying to get the traditional preparations finished -making cookies, wrapping presents, creating photo books, sending the annual newsy letter. While my mind tells me to relax and enjoy what I am doing....I often find that same mind racing ahead to what needs to be done next.

We had two of our granddaughters over Thanksgiving weekend and took them to cut down the Christmas tree. The delight in the eyes of the 4 year old as the tree fell over was really fun, as was the ride on the horse drawn wagon with the 20 month old calling out to the "horsie". We put the tree up and secretly laughed about the 45 ornaments put by the kids on the bottom 2 branches with the remaining 5 ornaments on the top. The older one made a parade of the nativity figures, as she carefully put up the crib that has been in my family for almost a century now. We listened to Christmas songs and had a grand time.

That evening an exhausted Grandma and Grandpa were finishing cleaning up the kitchen when I glanced into the living room to see the newly decorated tree slowly topple to the floor with ornaments and lights scattering. I quickly realized that the worst part of this disaster was the water soaking into the oriental rugs and YIKES I had put a bit of bleach into the water. As we picked up the tree, I remember telling my husband that we would laugh about this someday, but it sure was not funny right now. I decided to decorate that tree that night so the girls would wake up in the morning to enjoy the tree. It also gave me a chance to balance those ornaments! We did create some great holiday memories.

My wish for you is that you will enjoy the holidays and find ways to use humor (on purpose) to create a season filled with laughter.

Look for my next post in January of 2011!

Miwa Matreyek's glorious visions | Video on TED.com

2010-11-21T04:24:00.000-08:00

Do not miss viewing this amazing video

Miwa Matreyek's glorious visions | Video on TED.com

Thanksgving Memories

2010-11-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

The kids table! I felt so grown when I was about 11 years old and was able to leave the kids table and sit in the formal dining room at my Grandmother's house for Thanksgiving dinner. The white linen tablecloth, silver and china were carefully placed on the table. I was scrunched on the corner, but I did not care as I was so excited to be with the grownups. There was an endless array of food and my grandmother made delicious pies. Those pies were cooling on the sun porch when we arrived. The meal is a hazy memory, but I have distinct recollections of the women laughing and talking in the kitchen afterwards while doing the many dishes. The men often played cards including a competitive game of casino.

We will be gathering at my house this year and now I am the grandmother. Oh my! We will be using paper plates for the crew of over 20, but I will use the good silverware and light the candles. The grandkids actually seem to love the "kids table" as they are all close in age. I wonder what their memories will be as they grow up. What snippets of this Thanksgiving will they remember?

I hope your memories of past holidays are blessed ones and fill you with the joy of the season. Take a few moments to consider and cherish the idea that you are creating new memories for those near and dear to your hearts. As you reflect on your treasured memories, try some new traditions and be sure to include laughter in the Thanksgiving plans that you create for your loved ones.

Ice Breakers

2010-11-12T03:30:00.000-08:00

I depend on ice breakers for my workshops and training sessions. When I first tried using these handy tools, there was inevitably someone in the audience who would groan, roll their eyes, or give an icy glare (pun intended). Initially this negative reaction made me question the wisdom of incorporating these gems into my workshops.

As I have continued to provide seminars on brain research and humor, it has became very clear from the cognitive research that games, fun and activities add incredible value to the entire learning process. Yep-you heard that right! Ice breakers are not just used at the beginning of the workshop, but can be woven through your program to accomplish your goals and objectives. If you have not tried using icebreakers, I highly recommend you consider incorporating them , as they can provide great benefits to learning (as noted in chapter one of my book, Using Humor to Maximize Learning. )

One benefit for icebreakers is that they give participants the opportunity to review their learning. Pair/share activities are one of my favorite techniques for this review. Another favorite technique is the ball toss assessment. I am sure that most of you have experienced successful icebreakers as a presenter or as a participant.

If you would like more information on ice breakers or would like to contribute your ideas, AATH (Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor) is in the process of inviting their members to share their favorite suggestions for publication on their updated web site. If you are a member of AATH, please contribute your ideas to President-elect, Chip Lutz at czar@funsquadinc.com or send your suggestions to the links found on the AATH web site

Of course feel free to contact me with your ideas as well. Let's break ice together!

Bullying: No Laughing Matter

2010-10-29T03:23:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest fears that we have is the fear of being laughed at. Speech classes usually begin with the recognition that many people would rather die then give a speech. No one likes to be the brunt of ridicule and bullies know this. The prevalence of cruel teasing usually increases at the middle school level. The dark humor of sarcasm, mockery and ridicule are controlling tactics used by bullies to manipulate their victims.

Negative humor is often used to express frustration, hostility and anger. If one feels inferior, laughing at others becomes a way to feel superior and this heinous laughter become a weapon in the hands of stressed unhappy individuals.

Bullies are often adept at using negative humor to manipulate others. Control and power are their goals. Humor that is sarcastic, cynical, or mocking results in the recipient feeling helpless and vulnerable. So humor can become a powerful weapon of the bully, when used with the intentional purpose of wounding another person.

Bully behavior is frequently portrayed in the media as an acceptable method to express frustration, hostility, fears and anger. The use of mockery and sarcasm allows the venting of anger. Jokes abound on television, movies and the Internet with the express purpose of making fun of others. Our fears of differences have often been expressed in jokes about Italians, Jews, Mexicans, gays and religious entities. While often clever, these jokes perpetuate the bully mindset that it is OK to make fun of individuals or groups. There is research to suggest that this type of humor can eventually lead to violent behavior.

It is difficult to deal with bullying humor because these individuals often turn the tables when confronted with their negative behavior. They will say things like “Can’t you take a joke?” “I was just kidding!” This is a clever ploy intended to defend the bullying behavior and insinuate that the other person does not have a sense of humor. The fear of being accused of not having a sense of humor is close to the fear of being made fun of.

Please feel free to share ways that you have found helpful to confront the negative humor of bullies. Bullying behavior is prevalent in the news today, but I have not seen much on the negative humor as a weapon of choice by bullies. I will be sharing ideas and resources in subsequent blogs.

What’s the Real Deficit in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder? - Dana Foundation

2010-10-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting articel on ADHD.

What’s the Real Deficit in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder? - Dana Foundation

Humor and Politics

2010-10-22T05:27:00.000-07:00

It's 98% of politicians that give the rest a bad name."

I am not really sure where I found this quote, but it certainly seems to exemplify the current atmosphere of the elections in the USA. It seems to be especially difficult to understand the issues this year, as the focus seems to be on fear and anger. If you watch television, you are painfully aware of the negative and emotion-laden ads. Political advertisers do realize that fear is our most powerful emotion. They know that these ads get our attention.

I believe that these fear-based and negative ads, that are coming from all political parties are increasing the fears and stress of our nation. This national anxiety is rising to unhealthy levels. This week I personally experienced this anger during a meeting that I attended. My in-box is full of fear-based emails from people who are passing along crazy claims and angry comments about those running for political office. And we wonder why we have kids that use bullying behavior!

ENOUGH! Here is my sage advice to politicians. Use positive humor in your advertisements--and I do not mean laughing AT your opponents. If you watch the super bowl advertisements you realize that the ones that people talk about at the water cooler on the following day are the ones that are the funniest. We can learn a lot about the power of humor from the folks who purchase these very expensive advertising slots.

Humor is a very powerful emotion. Wouldn't it be great if all of the political ads had us laughing and thinking about what a joyful, energetic and happy politician is running for that office? I would personally like to view political ads and decide my vote based not only on the issues, but also on the candidate with the best sense of humor.

Because if we are going to solve the difficult challenges that we face as a nation, I want someone who thinks positively and has a sense of humor.

Humor: A Bad Rap

2010-10-14T03:11:00.001-07:00

"You do WHAT?" Whenever I tell people that I provide workshops on humor, laughter and stress relieve, there is always an amazed reaction. And most people say, "Well that is great-we need more humor!"

Yet there is little awareness of the purposeful use of humor. In fact I have encountered numerous folks who say they do not have time to practice humor or they do not think it really has a place in the workplace. Humorphobia does permeate our culture. There is an entire chapter in my book, Using Humor to Maximize Learning about humorphobia and humordoomers.

There are so many great benefits to practicing healthy humor, that I passionate about sharing this scientific research with others. I am honored to serve on the board of AATH (the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor). "OUR MISSION IS TO SERVE AS THE COMMUNITY OF PROFESSIONALS WHO STUDY, PRACTICE & PROMOTE HEALTHY HUMOR & LAUGHTER."

The very purpose of AATH is to give humor a positive rap. Our members include professionals who incorporate humor and laughter into their lives and work, people committed to humor and laughter, scholars and researchers who study humor and laughter, and all who feel they would benefit from this organization. Humor and laughter are used to enhance work performance, support learning, improve health and as a coping tool

As the Chilean miners emerge from their dark hole, it is obvious that our entire world is hungry for joyful news. This story has mesmerized the media. It almost seems to be a relief to be talking about "good news" for a change. We are usually immersed in negative media mania. Help us share the good news.

Create your own good humor rap. Check out the AATH web site and join the incredible people in AATH as we promote healthy humor. Our conference will be April 7-10 at Disney World in Orlando. Since I am the conference coach I can tell you that this year will be another "knock your socks off" event. You do NOT want to miss this opportunity to laugh, learn and practice humor.

Good For Nothing

2010-10-07T17:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been good for nothing? In other words-have you done something wonderful for someone else knowing that you would receive nothing for it? There are so many volunteers that I have met recently who are constantly and consistently doing good for their community, their friends and their families. And they do it without the expectation that they will receive any compensation for it.

We tend to pay too much attention to the pervasive message in the media. I certainly do not need to tell you that the economy is in the pits. Jobs are scarce and poverty is rising. Gosh darn it!

ALERT: We can make the difference in the lives of others by doing good for nothing. Every day I read through my social media outlets about my colleagues who purposefully promote smiling, humor, laughter and joy. This is what I have identified as humergy in my book, Using Humor to Maximize Learning. Humergy emerges from the joy and optimism of our inner spirite. It promotes enegy and enthusiasm for life.

Most of us realize that when we do "good for nothing" - there are rewards. There is current research supporting the fact that our brain reward center receives a generous dose of "feel good" chemicals when we share humor and laughter with others.

There are also studies being conducted about what kind of brain activity is going on during generosity. It seems a mix of empathy and oxitocin are involved.

Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy are brought to you today by the letter "E"!

Wouldn't it be awesome if research finds that doses of humor, empathy and generosity cure depression? Keep smiling at everyone and evoke the "E" word today! Laughter and humor will expand your energy, enthusiasm and empathy. Oh and do become a "good for nothing"!

Choosing To Teach With Humor

2010-10-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Why should educators choose to integrate humor into all aspects of their teaching?

Within the last 5 years there have been numerous brain science studies that show a direct correlation between the emotions and memory. If you think about what you remember from grade school, chances are your strongest memories are tied to very strong emotional events. Fear is one of our strongest emotions for a very good reason. It protects us from harm. Excess fear can cause stress. Unfortunately this stress has been shown to inhibit learning (Sapolski 1998).

On the other hand. research on the positive emotions is pretty compelling. Barbara Fredrickson from the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill developed the Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions to explain the mechanics of how positive emotions were important to survival. According to this theory, the positive emotions expand cognition and behavioral tendencies. Several other studies indicate that strong positive emotions facilitate the learning process- again, we remember that which has a strong emotional context.

Several additional studies show that humor is a great vehicle for nurturing the positive emotions and helping to put information into the long-term memory.

Another fascinating development from brain science indicates l other factors that are impelling reasons to integrate humor in the learning process.
1. We learn with our entire bodies—not just with our ears. The traditional auditory lecture is not a very effective way to facilitate learning. Purposeful games, directed play and physical activity are much more effective ways to aid memory and learning. The trick is to engage students in the learning process. We learn much more when we are actively involved because the brain is firing on many levels.
2. We cannot learn if we are not paying attention. A joke, laughter and fun are attention getters. Humor wakes up the brain!
3. Humor creates a relaxed learning environment. Fun is actually conducive to creating a stress-free learning environment.
4. The number one characteristic that students want in a teacher is a sense of humor

Never take life too seriously, you won’t get out alive.

The economy is so bad that...

2010-09-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

"The economy is so bad that some funeral homes are having GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALES!" For some reason I blurted this out as we drove by a funeral home this morning and my husband was kind enough to laugh at my quirky humor. Seriously, I think this is one business that has not felt a reduction in volume from the sluggish economy. But--what if they felt a need to pump up their business? I started thinking about all of the possible sales techniques that could be used for advertisements. "We offer a lay away plan!" "Buy now, Pay later." "The price will never be this low again" "Money back guarantee!"

Funeral home personal really do have a sense of humor. There is a sign in front of a funeral home that says; "Slow down--we'll wait!" Another posted a sign that said, "We would rather do business with 1000 Al Qaeda terrorists than with a single American."

How do they help folks decide what to put on the gravestones? Did you ever think about what you want on your tombstone? Is there anyone who would like to use a little humor? Here are some classic humorous headstones:

"Having a great time-wish you were here."

"I told you I was sick"

"I knew this was going to happen to me"

"Beneath this stone my wife doth lie
Now she's at rest and so am I"

"It was a cough that carried him off
It was a coffin they carried him off in"

"I made a lot of deals in my lifetime
but I sure went into the hole on this one"

This is all grave humor! I inherited this propensity for finding the funny in death and dying. Whenever we drive by a cemetery, I am reminded of my father who always--and I mean ALWAYS--said, " I hear people are dying to get there" This was always followed by, "That's the last place I want to go." Of course I am carrying on this tradition to the chagrin of my family. I suspect that they will eventually teach this to their kids. Good traditions never die.......ops--did I really say that they NEVER die?

Yogiisms

2010-09-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

"90% of the game is half mental". My laughter turned to wondering about the author, Yogi Berra. I admit that the most I knew was that he was a famous baseball player. A google search revealed a talented athlete and a guy who could be really funny. . Berra, who quit school after the eighth grade, has a tendency toward malapropism and fracturing the English language. Although my work involves giving workshops on humor and stress, I have to admit that I had to look up malapropism. I found out that it is the substitution of a word for a word with a similar sound, in which the resulting phrase makes no sense, but often creates a comic effect. Hey, I think I do that a lot too.

Wikipedia has more great information on Yogi Berra including details on his baseball career and the fact that Yogi Bear was supposedly named after him.

But his Yogiisms are what I really wanted to share in the hope that you laugh as much as I did!

"When you come to a fork in the road-take it."

"I really didn't say anything I said."

"A nickel isn't worth a dime today."

"I made a wrong mistake."

"The other teams could make trouble for us if they win."

"The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase."

On why he no longer went to Ruggeri's, a St. Louis restaurant: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

One of the most famous, "It ain't over till it's over."

"If the fans don't come out to the ball park, you can't stop them."

Once, Yogi's wife Carmen asked, "Yogi, you are from St. Louis, we live in New Jersey, and you played ball in New York. If you go before I do, where would you like me to have you buried?" Yogi replied, "Surprise me."

But this has to be my favorite quote: "Be sure to go to other people's funerals or else they won't come to yours!'

So-- I will go to your funeral if you come to mine!

Humor Benefits both Mind and Body

2010-09-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of humor is that it contributes to Mind/Body Balance.

“Worrying is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere.” Unknown

A sense of humor can create a remarkable feeling of control over one’s life. Learning to use humor as a lens for life challenges can increase confidence in one’s own internal ability to adapt. The optimistic energy that comes from humor enables individuals to embrace difficulties with resilience. Some individuals purposefully use laughter to ease pain and promote physical healing. There is some experimental research indicating that laughter/humor might actually cure illness and may provide effective therapies for numerous disorders. Some claim that laughter relieves pain, reduces stress, and improves the immune system response. (Harvey, 1998) Although these studies are preliminary, and no firm conclusions can be made as yet, many of the findings are encouraging as to the benefits and applications of positive humor.
Got stress? The purposeful use of humor can help you feel more optimistic about your life, knowing that you can choose how to respond to stress. Humor elevates mood and has been known to be a deterrent to depression. Stress reduction is considered to be one of the most important benefits of humor. A little humor will go a long way in helping educators balance the current focus on accountability, testing, standards and unfunded mandates.

This is an exerpt from my book, "Using Humor to Maximize Learning"

Humor Is Contagious-You Might Catch It!

2010-09-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

It can spread rapidly! There is no known cure. You can catch it from your parents and other important people in your life. You can also spread it to everyone you meet. Humor is a tonic that is available free of charge and the side effects are laughter and fun. The JoyFlow experience of humergy is observed when enthusiasm, excitement, and energy are bubbling from individuals who are passionate about their work. This synergy is experienced in an environment that is humming with the spirit of joyful learning. Humergy is reflected by the excitement of those individuals who exude a zest for life and a quest for knowledge.

There are numerous benefits derived from humor. Humor is an oft overlooked skill that has many benefits. These include providing stress relief, maximizing brain capacity for learning, increasing creativity, improving communication skills and creating an environment of trust. Humor is inseparable from our whole being. It is intrinsically woven into our emotional and social psyche reflecting our ethics and belief systems.

The numerous definitions of humor include that which makes one laugh or what is amusing. However, a sense of humor is the capacity of a human being to respond to life challenges with optimistic amusement. There is a synergy that is evident in people who have such an optimistic sense of humor.

Humergy is the energy that radiates the joyful optimism of our inner spirit, reflects our unique personality, and nourishes a healthy mind/body balance. (Morrison 2004)

Note---Several above passages are excerpts from my book:

Using Humor to Maximize Learning

Play Is a Four Letter Word

2010-08-27T03:50:00.000-07:00

"The opposite of play is not work, it is depression!" Dr. Stuart Brown shares this and other important insights in his TED video .

For years I have believed and taught about Learning Through Play in my workshops on brain research and learning. My original training as an early childhood teacher made a powerful impact on my philosophy and as I learn more about brain science, stress and humor, I am convinced that play is a critical key to a healthy lifestyle. Play is especially important in the learning process and not just for early elementary students, but for ALL learners including high school and adults.

However, play is a four letter word. The very mention of play to a group of teachers will often produce visible signs of anxiety with verbal comments such as, "We just don't have time for frivolous activity" or "We are serious about learning here at SMART High School" Play is even being taken out of the kindergarten curriculum in many schools as related in this article in Science Daily; All Work and No Play. There are reports of schools being built without playgrounds---so pervasive is the mindset that play is the opposite of having learning.

We learn best through movement, strong emotions and yes--through play! Yet in every educator workshop on stress that I facilitate, teachers share their concerns about the decrease in time for play, the increased amount of stress they observe and how they know this stress is negatively impacting student learning.

According to an article by Susan Shepardson in Play; Priceless: "Psychologists believe that changes in children’s play have negatively impacted cognitive and emotional development. Because children’s activities are now more regulated by adults, children are not able to practice regulating them. Self-regulation is a crucial developmental task. Developmental neuroscience research provides evidence that free-play actually helps children develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function"

So make today a PLAY DAY and have fun with this four letter word!

For more research links on play and learning go to the links on my Humor Quest web site

Humor and Aging

2010-08-20T07:33:00.000-07:00

"It is just a sports injury!" I have been using that line lately to explain away my aches and pains while attempting to be humorous. A friend of mine and I always blame our joint issues on recent gymnastics or football activities. When I was younger, I swore that I would never be like the old people in my life--always talking about their aches and pains. It was sooooo boring! I remember that promise to myself as I am tempted to talk about my own "sports injuries".

When we fear something-like getting older-humor is an effective coping skill. We laugh about the things that we are afraid of. As boomers start the aging process, the humorous emails about aging are becoming more frequent in my "In Box". Here are a few of my favorites:

"I made a cover for my hearing aid and now I have what they call blue teeth, I think"

"I am retired. I was tired yesterday and I am tired again today".

"I'm so old that when I eat out, they ask for my money up front".

"Your secrets are safe with your friends, because they can't remember them either."

This is my own actual joke....or maybe not!
"My daughter calls at 9:00 p.m. and asks, "did I wake you up?" Actually you did honey....but I am so glad you called!

Actually, I really do love this time in my boomer life......10 grandchildren and the freedom to pursue my interests incuding education and humor! What more could a sports injured body ask for?

Oh yeah----a recent ad that I saw------" Cremation? Think outside the box!"

Joy is a Choice

2010-08-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

Summer is slipping by so quickly! My intentions to spend more time relaxing and reading seemed to be quickly evaporating, so this past week, I picked up the book, Wired for Joy by Laurel Mellin. WOW!

The first chapter has such powerful insights into what we are learning about the brain. She says that the brain has an amazing capacity to create joy not by chance, but by choice. Is this true? Can we just "think" ourselves out of depression and bad moods?
Mellin entices us to read how to use your consciousness to create ripples of pleasure in your body. BUT the pleasure cannot be about anything that one acquires, ingests or injects. So shopping, food and alcohol might bring momentary pleasure but not true joy.

According to Mellin most stress is caused by having too many stress circuits and too few joy circuits. She advocates EBT, Emotional Brain Training, a recognition of the possible 5 different brain states that one might be experiencing and how to change the circuits to a higher level state. I find this book to be a great resource.

As I prepare for several upcoming workshops on the role of stress in learning, I will include this book as a resource for participants along with Dr. Earl Henslin's book, This Is Your Brain On Joy His book includes images of a stressed brain and a peaceful brain. Brain imaging technology is adding an incredible amount of information to our knowledge base.

So as I was in a perfectly awful mood on one day last week......I decided to try to choose joy. It was difficult but the process was interesting.....and eventually I hope to live more often in level I and 2 as described by Mellin and be kinder to myself when I am stressed.

Great conversations

2010-07-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, AATH partnered with Portland State University (Oregon) and Educational Explorations with Barbara Miller to support the creation of the AATH Humor Academy graduate and certificate program (Follow this link for more information http://www.aath.org/humor_academy.htm)

This past week as part of the program, there was a dynamic study group conversation (via a conference call) facilitated by advisor Linda MacNeal. We discussed chapter one and two of my book, Using Humor to Maximize Learningg. The question was about Maslow's hierarchy of needs scale and the use of humor.

What kind of humor do you have when basic needs are not being met versus when things are going well? if you are stressed is your sense of humor different from when "life is great"?

The conversations included observations that stressed folks use "coping humor" versus "playful humor" during good times.

As a result of this conversation, I am going to observe how my humor practice might change according to how well my needs are being met.

My joyful wish for you today; May your humor be playful!

Being spammed-Time to Ham it up!

2010-07-26T04:13:00.000-07:00

I am trying to keep my sense of humor as I meet new technology challenges every day. Last week I was spammed. Someone sent back some 14 beautiful pictures of Holland that I had shared. There was a bizarre note attached and I kept receiving this huge email over and over. My I-phone was so clogged that I had to wipe that account from it. I still need to figure out how to reboot that. It took my dear husband, and colleague many hours trying to get rid of this spam on my computer which lasted an entire week- a very frustrating week!

All of a sudden the beautiful pictures of the water filled streets of Holland began to look downright ugly. I will never be able to look at boats on the canals of Holland without a shudder and a memory of feeling powerless against some unknown person who decided to worm into my life. I wondered if they ever find these intruders.....and if they ever end up in prison....

SPAMMER ARRESTED; Found the Holland Street Spammer today, she was caught as she was trying to navigate the murky waters of the another spam scheme. Judge Judy sentenced her to a life sentence of fixing spam on politician computers.

My anti-spam device = friends, colleagues and my dear patient husband who finally cleaned got rid of the Holland spammer.

So when you are spammed.....Ham it up!

My wish for you:

May your spams be light today and your hams be many!

Retired educator workshop today

2010-07-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

The stories I heard today from the retired educators in my workshop session were amazing. One teacher began teaching in 1939 in a one room schoolhouse. Her stories of having Japanese students during World War II and how they were treated was heart-breaking. These students ended up in the USA style "concentration camps" with their parents and she described the day that she last saw them and said it was one of the most difficult days of her life as a teacher. She also described all of her class gathering around the radio when World War II was declared by Congress.

As I shared the importance of humor in the teaching process, I was overwhelmed by the experience of the over 100 educators in the room, and even more amazed when I realized how many people had been taught and loved by these folks. There were numerous comments by folks encouraging me to continue to reach as many young teachers as possible with the message of the importance of joyful teaching and the use of humor.

Very affirming and inspirational day!

Welcome to the Humor Quest Blog

2010-07-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

What a great journey this will be! I hope you will join me in my quest to understand the benefits and applications of humor and share how you use humor in your life.

I am a retired educator and for the past 20 years, I have been facilitating workshops on a wide variety of topics related to humor and stress. Two years ago, I published a book, "Using Humor to Maximize Learning" based on what I had learned from the participants in my sessions combined with intensive study. The book details the benefits of humor, what to do with humordoomers and how to improve one's humor practice.

As I have redone my web site, I have been encouraged by colleagues to start this humor blog......so we are off on our quest to find humor, fun laughter and joy.

Quote of the day:
Today's might oak is just yesterday's nut that held it's ground!

2010-07-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my Blog...