Catching up with Karyn

No doubt, there will come a time (chances are it has, already… and more than once!) that you’re stuck in a negative situation or with a negative person (the one whose goal in life is to be miserable, and whose mission is to bring down the rest of us with them!). When that occurs, one technique that you can practice is humor visualization.

I once worked with an administrator who had a gift for making all around her unhappy. Whenever she attended a meeting, by the time it was over, somebody was sure to leave crying. As I was walking out of one such dismal meeting, a colleague came up to me, and in a voice dripping with sarcasm asked, “What were you smiling about in there? You two collaborating on some little scheme?” When I realized she was insinuating that somehow I was fraternizing with the enemy, I was shocked. I’d found the meeting painful. How could she think I’d been smiling? And then it dawned on me…

At the low point of the meeting, I...

Shared humor is even more powerful than humor experienced by yourself. When you share humor with another person, you both get to experience the benefits!

Today’s challenge: Designate a humor buddy.

Reach out to someone who shares your sense of humor. Invite them to be part of the Humor Challenge with you. This person is someone you can laugh with, try out your humor exercises on, and can help hold you accountable.

I have a number of humor buddies that I love sharing humor with. I know when I send something their way, they’ll appreciate a chuckle and know that I was thinking of them. And when I’m in need of a boost, I can call them, email them, send them a text, give them a shout-out on social media, or get together over coffee (or other beverages of choice!) and they’ll provide the support I need in the form of something funny.

This challenge is about helping you create a humor habit so you can maximize the benefits that humor provides. You can do this by...

I’ve often wondered what holds people back from using humor. I think a lot of times it’s because people don’t want to look silly. The word “silly” comes from an Old English term that meant to be healthy, happy and prosperous. (Who wouldn’t want more of that?)

When I think of “silly” I immediately think Monty Python’s John Cleese and “The Ministry of Silly Walks.” It’s a classic. You might be surprised to know that John Cleese—one of the funniest men alive—does not consider himself to be particularly funny. In his “real life” he’s not “the life of the party.” But he has the confidence to do something silly for his own enjoyment, and the enjoyment of others.

So what do you think? Are you willing to overcome your fear of looking silly? (FYI: I've found no medically validated cases of anyone dying from embarrassment.) For some of you, this may stretch you a little...

April is National Humor Month - great news if you're interested in finding health & wealth through laughter! Here are five fun ways to celebrate National Humor Month:

1. Movie Night: Host a Comedy Film Festival in your home, devoted to the movies that make you laugh the most. Here's a list of the American Film Institute's 100 Funniest Films for some classic laughs.

2. Phone a (Funny!) Friend: Remember the college roommate who could always crack you up? What about the co-worker you loved to laugh with before they moved on to a new job? Keeping your funny friendships alive has serious long-term mental and emotional health benefits. A touch base call or email is a simple way to put a smile on both of your faces!

3. Learn Laughter Yoga: Laughter is more than fun - it's exercise! Laughter yoga combines enjoying humor with basic moves to boost your circulation and energy while lowering your blood pressure and stress levels. Here's a simple exercise to get you started.

4. Scavenger...

One of the most amazing things about laughter is how profoundly and immediately it alters our mood. Laughter is not only the best medicine, it's incredibly fast-acting medicine.

That's why I recommend that people create a Fun List of activities, media, and people that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. When you're feeling down for whatever reason, drag out the Fun List and choose one of the options on it. Laughter doesn't solve our problems, but it does make it easier for us to handle those problems.

After speaking at LaughFest (an awesome event you'll want to add to your calendar every year!) my new friend Dawn asked me to share what's on my own personal Fun List. Here you go - these are the 15 fun things that never fail to put a smile on my face:

1. Big Bang Theory (sitcom)
2. David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall (CD/MP3)
3. Reading Sunday comics
4. Watching funny movies (Top picks: "In & Out" with Kevin Kline, "When Harry Met Sally" and "Steel Magnolias")
5. Youtube: Laughing...

Do you really need to send all those holiday cards? Be honest. Many folks on your list are too busy to read your card and won’t remember a week later if you sent one or not. Clean out your holiday database by at least 25%. Here's a tip to make it simple: if when looking at your list of names, you have no idea who the person is, chances are you don't need to send them a card.

Struggling with the fact you haven't sent a card to Aunt Rhoda? Here's a nifty fact: Aunt Rhoda will (we all hope!) still be here after the holidays. A card from you - with or without Santa but featuring a hand-written note about how you're thinking of her! - will still be welcome in January, February, or at any time of year. There's no time that people *dislike* being cherished and thought about!

After my piece on Grati-tweets and Grati-texts, I received an outpouring of emails, texts, and tweets from folks expressing their appreciation of me—wow! It felt great! One loyal reader, Deborah, told me how she’d sent a grati-text to a mentor who lived in another state. The mentor texted back how timely her message was. She’d had a difficult and emotional day and thanked her profusely for her thoughtfulness.

On the flip side, I received this response from a dear friend: “Dearest Karyn, I just wanted to let you know that I believe in the power of gratitude, certainly in the power of laughter and optimism, and HATED your suggestions!”

She went on to explain that she was not just low-tech, but NO-tech. She didn’t open e-cards, refused to text, and had no social media accounts—not one!

I LOVED her note! (It’s so awesome when your audience makes your segue for you!) And because one size does NOT fit all, here are 6 tips for showing your...