How important is laughter in our lives? Is it more important than a healthy diet? More important than exercise? How about fishing or meditating or volunteering?
We're not used to thinking about laughter in this way. We're not used to thinking about where it fits into our priorities. After all, nobody schedules laughter into their lives, "ok family, every Tuesday from 7pm to 8pm we're going to laugh". We all like to laugh but usually it's a chance encounter like bumping into an old friend.
In researching laughter for this month's newsletter we came across an interesting comment; it takes an adult 10 weeks to laugh as much as a child laughs in one day!
Perhaps the responsibilities of being an adult as well as the difficult & challenging experiences that we all face result in us gradually losing our ability to laugh.
And yet, maybe laughter and the ability to laugh is a precious gift that helps us to survive and thrive through our difficulties.
Laughter helps to open our hearts and let the sun shine in. Laughter brings people together and creates harmony. Laughter is a universal language — no matter where you are in the world laughter is understood by all.
It doesn't mean we ignore the reality around us but it does open our hearts to be an oasis of goodwill and humor for ourselves & others.
Wondering if humor can actually make a difference in the world? In 1988, Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, due to international pressure, was forced to call a referendum on his presidency. A "no" vote would force the first election in 15 years. Many on the "NO" committee favored a campaign that focused on the atrocities of the Pinochet government.
A young marketing expert was hired and convinced them a campaign of joy and humor would be more effective.
If you have the opportunity to watch this movie it shows the power a few can have on inspiring a nation.
What else can laughter do? Turns out it is an amazing healer of the mind, emotions and body. What is surprising is that you still get the health benefits when you fake it. Laughing when you don't feel like laughing, still releases the same chemicals in your brain that genuine laughing does.
Here at SOTA we try to fill our meetings with laughter. We look for ways to poke fun at ourselves, find a corny play on words (Russ' specialty) and other ways of keeping the mood up-beat.
We invite you to explore the laughter in this month's newsletter. We struggled to limit the number of links but we kept finding more that made us laugh.
Send us your funniest show, movie or joke and we'll share a selection next month.
We love receiving all your feedback - you make us think - you make us question - we hope you'll make us laugh!
SOTA President, Russ Torlage Working His Electronics Wizardry Then and Now
1997
2022
"Laughter is inner jogging" – Norman Cousins
If laughing is contagious, that's a pandemic we can get behind!
YOUTUBE COMMENTS:
This makes my want to cry of happiness it is a beautiful thing to see the world laugh. ... Victoria's World
This happened to me once. Me and a friend were laughing hysterically on the train till we cried with laughter and people all around us were laughing. I never felt such joy till then. ... Komal Kim Kevin
Norman Cousins was the first to discover laughter can heal. In 1964 he was diagnosed with a painful disease with no hope of recovery. He reasoned, if stress and despair blocks a person's ability to heal then the opposite might aid healing. With his doctor's agreement he dropped all drugs and pain killers and put himself on a regimen of vitamin C and laughter - watching Candid Camera & Marx Brothers movies everyday.
He healed and the New England Journal of Medicine published his story which started new investigations into the role of emotions in health.
"Water is life, and clean water means health." – Audrey Hepburn
At SOTA, we believe it is important to serve life ... to think beyond ourselves. As a company, we donate as part of our service commitment. As a customer, you share in this service to others. One of the organizations we love supporting is the Ryan's Well Foundation.
The Foundation grew from the passion and courage of one 6-year-old boy, Ryan Hreljac. Ryan was inspired to take action as a grade one student when he learned of the devastating consequences for people without access to safe drinking water. He was remarkably determined as he succeeded in rallying his community to help him raise the funds needed to build one well in Uganda, Africa – one well that has changed everything.
"I love all the verbal healing coming from Sota...
Thank you for taking the time to assist even further to create a healthier human race and planet. I'm inclined towards kindness and compassion. Very happy you have plenty of it.
... Emek E, CA, USA
"I look forward to these newsletters so much! They always have the best information. Thank you for all you do!
... Katelyn C
"I love this commentary, it resonates on how I feel. Despite wanting to live my life like this, I find myself (unfortunately often) having to reign myself in when I find myself judging others or distancing myself when I feel hurt by someone. I'm grateful that at least I'm aware when I'm doing it so I can retrace my thoughts.
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind if I copy & paste your letter onto my Facebook page? Whether yes or no, thank you for always being a voice of reason in this very polarized society. I know there's more people out there that can see both sides of most issues but in the many decades I've been here the 'squeaky wheels' have always gotten the media's attention & notoriety.
It's a huge sigh of relief when I hear the voice of people who feel like I do. It validates that I'm not alone.
... Elizabeth B M, WI, USA
"Thank you for such a well worded and very true letter! Let the light shine and don't highlight the dark, it doesn't deserve it. The only time is, if a lie is designed to mislead and injure one or many. Then it needs to be exposed ... Please keep your thoughts and letters from your hearts to ours coming. They are very much appreciated!
... Rudi & Jutta, Australia
"Thanks for sharing your ideas about this! I agree with you 100%! Can you imagine a world if everyone agreed with your message? What a great world it would be!
... Tom C, GA, USA
"You've just confirmed my feelings about your Co... When I just read that you are a supporter of the NHF, that convinced me of your true feelings for your fellow man. Most people have never heard of the NHF. It was founded in 1955 by a most patriotic, Christian gentleman who was battling the medical establishment because he was looking for an alternative medical treatment for his wife.
... David M, CA, USA
"I just have to say before I write anything else and that is, I LOVE YOU! Thanks so much. The words you guys have passed along for August are once again straight from the conscious heart.
Tribal mindsets, "like them against me, my way is the truth," are part of the prideful, closed wall that is creating great, dangerous 'Unnecessary' hurt and division.
United we stand even in this environment of this confusing, diffuse space that you have wisely called the big 'MAYBE' . That leaves all of us the room to take a breath, look at one another and see ourselves in the reflection of another's eyes.
... John A, NY, USA
"May our creator bless you and yours, keeping you in the light of truth and knowing as we are told to watch and not be deceived in these days as more info is released to us..AMEN we are walking in these days and the more knowledge we have to safer we are.AMEN
... Darla N, GTO, Mexico
"Wow…you certainly captured my feelings and thoughts around truth, accuracy and authenticity. I've developed such a faint-and-see attitude that I sometimes feel horridly "Luke warm" - "great" - "beige". And I certainly someone could jump on that description! Bless all the people who share goodness - and I certainly saw that intent in your article.
... Amy M, BC, Canada
"We live in a free world or we like to think we do, so free speech is still very important since we are slowly but surely losing it.
I think if you choose to write about them [Oprah or Musk] so be it, I can choose not to read it and then we are both making our own choices without harming or negating each other Thank You
... Fiona M, CA, USA
Thank you to everyone who submitted comments but didn't make it into the newsletter. Keep them coming!
Facebook comments: SOTA are game changing machines...love all the products I have from them. ... Steve D, USA
If I had to recommend "one" product to clean up the body, it would be the Silver Pulser. If I had to recommend one product to assist the mind, I would recomment the Bio Tuner. Thank You SOTA for ALL your amazing products. All in combination are very effective. A retired R.N. ... Phyllis H, USA
(0)
