Catching up with Karyn

Over the years my husband, Greg, and I have entertained one other with hours and hours and hours of stories of our childhoods—him as a little boy in upstate New York, and me as a little girl in the small river town of Hannibal, Missouri. Greg's recalls sledding down snowy hills on his Flexible Flyer steel-runner-sled, putting together model airplanes (and that unforgettable smell of airplane glue that left you dizzy), and of chasing his very first girlfriend—in kindergarten!  I bend his ear with stories of a young girl stomping in the Mississippi mud, sneaking into cow pastures to jump on cow pies, and playing with the one and only doll I ever loved—Chatty Cathy.

For those of you who've never seen a Chatty Cathy doll, she’s 18 inches tall with blonde hair, blue eyes and freckles, and has a “chatty ring” on her upper back that, that when pulled, allows her to speak. (I was taller and didn’t need someone to pull my “chatty...

Growing Up

My story begins with being a nurse. Growing up, I always wanted to follow in the footsteps of my mom and dad.  Both were medical professionals. I felt that helping other people was my calling – so you could say that nursing was always in the cards for me.

Within nursing, I’ve worked in the OR, ER, home health, hospice, and much more! (I know what you’re  thinking…”She couldn’t hold a job?”). It wasn’t that I felt more at home in one area than another; it was actually quite the opposite - each job was a great fit for me! I attributed this to one particular constant in my life: I LOVED learning. After mastering one skill, I was on to the next learning opportunity. This passion for knowledge eventually led me back to school to earn my master’s degree, where I discovered my true calling.

My Passion

I was knee-deep in research when I stumbled upon a small paragraph in a journal. It was about a nurse...

So, you want to make people laugh, huh? That’s easy! Okay, maybe not. But don’t worry! I’m here to help. Let’s dive into some scenarios and I’ll give you some things to keep in mind before your meeting, performance, company party, or whatever you’ve got going on! 

There are a lot of steps to leveraging other people’s laughter. So, let’s break it down. 

What’s the setting?

• Are you in a meeting?
• Are you performing?
• Are you at work?
• Are you at a company party?

The setting matters! Things that are allowed to be said during a performance versus a business meeting are COMPLETELY different.

Be sure to keep in mind: 

1. Where you are
2. Who you’re with

Before letting all of your family holiday party jokes fly, consider your audience. If you have to think about whether or not something is appropriate—play it safe and leave it out. You’re a creative person! Find a better alternative.

Details, Details,...

Not sure what to get Dad this Father’s Day? The best present you can give is the gift of laughter, according to humor expert, author, and professional speaker, Karyn Buxman.

“Laughter improves our mood and lifts the spirit,” Karyn said, “and it can also make us healthier. The latest research continues to reveal the many physical and mental health benefits that come from sustained laughter. Humor can help us lower our blood pressure, maintain healthier blood sugar levels, increase circulation, and manage stress more effectively.”

Buxman draws on her healthcare background as an RN to advocate for the use of humor as a tool in chronic disease management. “Diabetes and heart disease are at epidemic levels in this country, and older men – we’re talking about Dad here! – are being affected every single day.  Either they’re struggling with diabetes or heart disease themselves, or they love someone who is.”

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How likely are you to develop diabetes? The answer to that question can have a lot to do with what community you belong to. Diabetes is far more prevalent among some groups of people. If you are a Native person, you are 2.6 times more likely to wind up with diabetes than a non-Hispanic White person. Understanding why that happens is a long, lengthy discussion about complex social and health factors. We could do that – but let’s have some fun instead, and talk about how the Native tradition of storytelling is being used to help educate and empower people with the skills they need for better diabetes management.

According to this great article in The Kansas City Star, Rhonda LaValdo and Teresa Trumbly Lamsam were seeking a way to help combat the epidemic levels of diabetes in the Native community.

Storytelling is a traditional part of Native culture for many reasons. Stories entertain, but they also convey valuable information. You can learn a lot about people by listening...