The end of my 8 week laughter Yoga 1:1

Well the end of my Laughter Yoga 1:1 8 week course has come to an end.  Maria has become a very Good friend and although my weekly sessions have stopped, I feel its so important to carry on with the tools I have been given.  How did I fit into daily life this course and would I recommend it to others? just a few questions I have been asked are below:

How did I found an 8 week 1-1 programme and more to the point why you would recommend it to anyone else?

An 8 week programme enabled me to learn at a good pace, and put into practise all the techniques such as laughter, play, breathing into my daily schedule.  I could also reflect with Maria the following week how I had got on, difficulties in my day to day life, and how I could use the techniques to deal with everyday stress.  The more further into 8 weeks I got, the more I used it without thinking.  I would recommend a 8 week programme as it enables you to build up what I call my stress tools :) to combat life's stresses, and to learn how life does not have to be so serious.

How easy it was using Skype?

Skype is a fab tool and so easy to use.  This was my first time using it, but I actually felt that Maria was in the same room :) great when you need to fit it around home and work life.

How easy it was to incorporate into your life

As I say with Skype fitting the sessions in were no problem.  I got together with Maria on a couple of occasion's too which gave a nice variety of lessons.  As for the laughter exercises and the ten minute daily laughter, all you need to do is find that alone time such as in the car on the way to work, in the bath or shower, in the kitchen laughing a the dog...the list is endless. Just read through my blogg and you can see how I manage to fit it in :)

Why you would recommend it to others?

I and most people spend far too much of our life being stressed, fed up, serious, sensible, being told how one should behave...and why? because that's how we are brought up as children, and how daily grind and others expectations make us feel.  When you see somebody laugh how does that make you feel? happy? so why should we not laugh freely and have fun because it is not harming others when we do it, and the feeling I get from laughing is like a breath of fresh air, childlike and free.

Thank you xx

A good week of confidence building

Its Sunday and I have just had a skype chat with Maria about how my week has been. I have managed to do some laughter exercises a least once a day and practised my breathing also.  I have a new laugh which I use when I get some numb nut cutting me up...its my version of Ace Ventura Pet Detective's famous sayings 'ALRIGHTY THEN' and 'REHEEEEERLY' see you tube for examples lol :)

Click to see Ace Ventura :) Alrighty Then

Click to see Ace Ventura :D Reheeeeerly

Also this week I was forced out of my comfort zone back to a place I have not been to for years...let me explain further...
Years ago I worked for a well know bank in IT support, and for many years was involved in training people in the use of new systems.  I loved the confidence I got from this job and the buzz and adrenaline rush I got from speaking to these groups of people and going around to different places in the UK to deliver support.  Since becoming a mum and changing direction in career I have lost a massive amount of my confidence, and this week made me realise how stir crazy I am becoming.  I can not complain about my current job because I have been given the opportunity to become a fully qualified tech, but deep down I know I need variety....sorry I will get to this weeks highlight....I was asked to speak out to a room full of people about a new system we have be using at work and lets just say I absolutely loved the feeling I got from doing this. Its hard to put into words how much more confident I felt afterwards, and the feeling of self worth but now I want more of this.  I was chatting to Maria about this on skype and she took  pictures of me smiling about it.  Here they are....excuse the scraped back hair...after all it is Sunday :D Much love, Amanda xxxx

Hello February :)

Boy am I happy that January has gone...you see I did not post this on my blog during January but it is one of the worst months for me...not only is it the usual most depressing month of the year for everybody after christmas festivities, but its filled with unhappy memory dates of loved ones.  I have had more ups and downs than a big dipper at Blackpool in the high season :D

 During January, and to try and deal with this I have used a lot of the techniques I have learnt.  After feeling down at work I would just use my stones given to me to remind me about the importance of calming myself down.   I would laugh it out on the way home if I was feeling really stressed so as to not take it home.  When I was exhausted in a morning due to the usual fibromyalgia pains and lack of sleep, knowing I was going to struggle at work, I would spend five minutes with my eyes closed doing the yoga breathing and listening to some of the meditation music I had downloaded.  I would make sure that the ten minute journey to work or to the shops would be my laughing time.

Well I am moving towards the last couple of weeks of my laughter yoga course, and i must admit its been a lovely experience and I feel a lot more able to deal with lifes ups and downs.  Don,t get me wrong I have had my lows still but its how we learn to move on from them to try and reduce the negative after effects x

Just thought I would finish with an amazing picture of my mum and son Alex which I love so much as its fab to see them both laughing so much.



xx