World Laughter Day

Why didn’t someone tell me that World Laughter Day is on the first Sunday of May (yesterday)? Had I known this, I would have reminded myself to laugh at my ills rather than to cry/complain/worry about them as I did yesterday.

Either way, yesterday marked the eleventh year of celebrating World Laughter Day, which was first celebrated in January 1998 in Mumbai, India. It was a happy day for many participating individuals who, on this day, were challenged to laughing for a straight minute (or longer, if you can!). The Laughter Arts and Science Foundation has plenty of cool ways to laugh it up on this day and provides a list of events around the world, too.

If this video from a celebration on last year’s World Laughter Day doesn’t make you happy, then I don’t know what will.

Reuters reports that this day is quite popular all over Japan, which is ending one of its longer holidays of the year, Golden Week.

Or, if you’re interested in trying your tummy at a dose of laughter at a local laughter yoga studio, go HERE.

Laughter Yoga Takes To The Ocean Waves

It sounds like it’s been a stressful time to be a traveller in the United States across recent months. If it’s any consolation, we’re getting more used to travel delays in New Zealand, but I’m sure it’s nothing in comparison to what Stateside travellers have to put up with.

Back in June we reported on marie claire’s guide to Global Stress Busters. Included in the mix was Laughter Yoga which promotes the benefits of having a damn good belly laugh. The movement of mirth has spread to 5000 clubs in more than 40 countries, and on November 24 a special Laughter Yoga cruise leaves Miami to chuckle through the Caribbean and maybe lose it totally in the Lesser Antilles.

The downside is you’ll probably still have to negotiate the American aviation system to get to Miami. Some things just aren’t very funny.

Thanks to Laughter Yoga for the pic.