Laughter Workshop on Valentines Day woo hoo

My friend from Melbourne had organised for me to be available for a laughter workshop here in Sydney. I invited the guy I am staying with, actually his name is Guy. He was doing a course to learn how to be a trainer, so I thought he would benefit from seeing this style of training.

We went to the city on a motorbike, yippee, I love riding. I used to ride a CBX 550 Honda, years ago and really love the feeling of flowing through the traffic. It was also nice to look at Sydney as a pillion and just enjoy the ride. Guy is a lovely bloke and really easy to get along with.

We caught up with my friend, a breath of fresh air, she is. She is a wonderful person, very colourful and lively person. So when we catch up we are always joking with each other and people randomly. She is definitely a clown in reality, I just told her today she is in denial of that fact, embrace it I said jokingly. She pulled out her squeeky chicken and started to pump it under her arm. Kids do this at school to make farting noises, very funny seeing a grown woman do it. The three of us went over the outline and then went up to the company to set up.

We eagerly awaited the 25 people who filed into the room, I met them and hugged them all saying ‘happy valentines day’, ‘hello gorgeous’ and ‘how are you’.

Bronwen then had them sit around a board table (bored table) and we talked to them about laughter and the importance of being able to de-stress, release hormones called endorphins and how it has positive effects on blood pressure and personal happiness. We then put on some film of Patch Adams, but I pressed the wrong button on the computer and it closed down (ooops clown). We then rebooted it but it ended up giving me a chance to talk about my experience as a World Peace Clown and my experiences with Patch Adams in Russia. I told them about how he paid some rubles to a baggage guy to wrap him up in plastic wrap. He is a big bloke and was on a turntable rotating. Some of the clowns had to prop him up as he was falling. Not easy keeping balance when you are wrapped up as a basted turkey. He hopped off the turntable and started hopping to customs. I always laugh when I remember the customs lady. Patch says in a funny voice ‘you are a nice lady’ and wiggles his fingers. She then indicates in sign language, lift up your nose (red nose folks). So he does so she can check his profile against his passport. Then he hops to the x-ray machine and pulls out noses, ear plugs, balloons, silly toys and everyone is laughing. No easy task moving Patch through customs. I explained to the people the importance of not taking ourselves too seriously and learning to have fun. At that point the computer was back on and I played the Patch Adams DVD, it was great watching him clown with people in his unique and very funny style.

The workshop then progressed with the name game. Bronwen had 3 sections of funny words. You had to locate your first letter of your name in first section mine was S and I found farty, the next section was Faye and I found farty again haha then the third Carew I found ate. So I was farty farty ate. Yes I know it sounds silly, but we are into laughter, so the sillier the better. One guy also had fart in his name and he introduced himself with the accompaniament of his ring tone which happened to be a fart. It was great, everyone cracked up. What is great about these workshops is that people see their colleagues in a different light. It changes their relationships and gives them freedom to cut loose for an hour and a half.

We then got them to stand up and stretch and we did trantrums. 25 grown people jumping up and down like kids, beautiful to watch. Get all that frustration out, don’t hold back.

We then dressed everyone up. Some had jesters hats, wigs, bras, hot pants, silver tops, dresses, a hotch potch of colours. As they dressed up and played with the toys on the table, you could see the transformation of people from their roles and social rules, to play with no agenda. Some were uncomfortable as they were not used to being outside the structure, others embraced it enthusiastically, smiles travelling around the room, uplifting everyone. Some became aware of the building next to ours, some people looking in and seeing all these grown ups in dress ups hahaha. Others kept pressing the laughter bags ands were making plans for their boss later. hahaha

Then we did haha harley where you pretend to get on your harley and you make noises like a harley broom broom and go around the room driving madly. It is great as people toot each other, swerve to miss, nearly crash all the time making motor bike noises. Then they dismount, take off their helmuts and onto the next one.

In between we go ho ho ho hahaha to get the oxygen flowing and clapping at the same time to get a rhythm happening, gives energy to the activities. People get energised and slowly they let go and be themselves, let the humour flow. I love that so much.

Then we got them to imagine a witches caldron, they were to stir it up and sound like a witch. They did lots of cooking, cackling and making noises ‘heee heeee heeee’ as they stirred their pots.

The next activity was to say a word and just laugh madly. So some said ‘sex’ hahahaha others said ‘divorce’ hahahaha ‘work’ hahahaha and on it goes. So those things that stress us we learn to throw back our head and have a good laugh.

We did the mexican wave around the room, then reversed it. Then another fun part was making balloon flowers. I took some good photos of this. Some of the men wanted swords, very funny, most wanted to make flowers. Nothing like flower power. It was nice to see them relaxing and just having fun twisting the balloons into shape, some popping, some getting it right, others making god knows what, just have to put it down to creative licence. One guy played sword fights, really enjoying playing. You can see the ones who really embrace play, it is great as they could be the leaders in the workplace to encourage fun and joy. We can take work extremely seriously, day in day out, focussed and concentrating on work, light relief is good for the body and actually energises you and enhances creativity. So what we do is important for health, wellbeing and bringing colour into the workplace.

We finished up the session again reminding people of allowing themselves to have fun and we then had everyone touch each others shoulders, and give a squeeze massage to the next person. A good pat on the back. Then a few songs and thanking the person next to us for being so fabulous. They all got love heart balloons and a chewy lollie on leaving.

It was great, it always reaffirms me of how lucky I am to be a clown. My friend, Guy and I went downstairs for lunch and just debriefed about the workshop. My friend Guy said he had never seen this before he said it was like ‘walking into the twilight zone’, he said to give people permission to be crazy. He said mostly people are serious but it was good to see them step out of their comfort zone. He noted how some really started getting into it and another guy just came out, some had never seen him like that we were told. He could see the positive impact on people and really enjoyed the experience.

Well that for me was Valentines Day, no romantic dinner, but a romance with life, what could be better then to love others, particularly those you don’t know to let them have a moment to love each other without saying the words ‘I love you’.

So with that, much love to you, be happy and remember to allow yourself moments to be zany, life is too short for seriousness. Now hop off your computer and go and have some fun. xx