LAFOLOT

I read a wonderful comment by a beautiful soul from New Orleans, Louisana (USA) on Facebook!
Heidi Heyns noted that we can use STOP signs today, as reminders to Stop, Breathe in, Breathe out, Smile, and Imagine something that makes you smile!

Well! When I read this, my creative mind just started swirling! I immediately made use of the suggestion!
Being over 50, menopausal, and prone to mood changes at the ‘drop of a hat’, I was THRILLED to have a suggestion to keep me Focused, Centered and Staying Present.

So, what did I do? When I left my home in my car, I started to practice Heidi’s suggestion. Every stop sign I encountered, I had the attitude of being THRILLED it was there! Yes! I got to take a pause, relax, breathe in, breathe out, Smile and know how grateful I am!

I found myself taking ‘the long way home’, or going to shopping plazas that had an abundance of STOP Signs – allowing customers to walk freely/safely to their cars, so that I could STOP, breathe in, breathe out, Smile and know how grateful I am!

I found that I was much more relaxed while driving. I was no longer In A Hurry to get to where I was going. I was no longer agitated, that the person in front of me wasn’t MOVING FASTER!!!!!!

I applied the practice at every stop light, as well as STOP signs. Allowing myself the opportunity to STOP and THINK and FEEL how grateful I am, along with relaxing with a deep breath and a smile!

I thought to myself, ‘WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO DEAL WITH ROAD RAGE!’ What if EVERYONE did this when driving TO or FROM work, events, appointments, etc. We would all be in such a place of imagining, thinking, being grateful for something that makes of happy or smile – PLUS we’d be healthy and relaxed due to all the deep breathing, stress releasing activity –

1) when we encountered other drivers, we’d be smiling
2) when we got to work or our appointment, we’d be smiling
3) when we got home from work at the end of the day – the more backed up the traffic, the MORE RELAXED we’d be AND the more PRESENT and RELAXED and GRATEFUL we’d be for our families and partners!

I feel this would make a GREAT CAMPAIGN for the Department of Transportation or the Local Police Departments.
Wouldn’t this be GREAT to place on billboards? STOP and SMILE!

We’re given the technical, safety instructions for behavior at a stop sign … why not give an instruction that causes the healthy/safe STOP, but allow it to have a healthy, relaxing thought associated with it?

SPREAD THE WORD! STOP, RELAX, BREATHE, SMILE, IMAGINE….

Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT
Check out my SMILE CAMPAIGN at my website: www.lafolot.com
[This blog can also be viewed at Vibrant Nation under the Blog Circle Name: Helenoflafolot]

Ha Ha!

I just came from a visit to my new, favorite stylist Jeremy at Cost Cutters, down the road from my home. Last time I was there, I had the audacity to forget to bring ‘goodies’ (LAFOLOT giveaways) in for them! So, this time, I remembered!

I knew Jeremy was working because I saw his car with my ‘Live Life! Laugh Often!’ www.LAFOLOT.com bumber display on the side of the vehicle. I walked in the door with my clown nose on. He was finishing up a customer, so I indicated ‘shhhh’ by putting a finger to my lips, as one of the other stylists had seen me.

Just then, he turned around and called out his familiar: HEY! HELEN! BE WITH YOU IN 10 MINUTES! I signed the ‘sign-in’ sheet with my name, ‘Ha Ha Helen’.

I had brought some of my ‘I Love to LAFOLOT’ … Live Life! Laugh Often! canvas shopping bags with me, a couple pin/buttons, about 6 Pinwheel stress relievers, etc.

When Jeremy was ready, he was thrilled to announce he had been trying to ‘drum up business’ for me! What a sweetie! I thanked him for his efforts and he said he will continue to work on it. He KNOWS people! ;o)

When he was done, I got another ‘taker’ for one of my canvas bags. I had been able to hand out 3 others before I had my hair cut. I also got to give away 3 of my pinwheel stress relievers. One to a customer and two to two other stylists.

I got one of the other stylists and one of the waiting customers to do the A-LO-HA hahahahaha and Straw Smile Grin and Laugh through your teeth, laughs with me!

The funny thing is, there was a woman sitting near the window, with the most stern look on her face. She was not cracking a smile nor a laugh (which was quite all right)! I asked her if she wanted a pinwheel stress reliever?

She respond: “No, I don’t have stress, I GIVE it to OTHER people!” [she still wasn't smiling or laughing.]

I let her alone and asked the other stylist if she wanted one of my smiley face – positive saying bookmarks? She was thrilled and took it.

Then, I had another one in my hand, and said to the lady by the window; “Would you like one of these to STICK it to some other people!” Oh, come on… I said it with a laugh and a smile!

Guess what! SHE LAUGHED AND SMILED! I said; ‘Well! I got you to smile, after all! NOT they you HAVE to! But! You have a BEAUTIFUL SMILE!’ She said ‘Thank you!’ and continued to smile as I was leaving.

Wonder how many HA HA SMILE CAMPAIGN POINTS I got for THAT one!

A fun time was had by all!

This has been a Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT moment…
Live Life! Laugh Often!
and check out my SMILE CAMPAIGN on my website: www.lafolot.com

Wow! [this is not an endorsement for this product and I caution anyone reading this to check with your doctor before trying/buying this]…

Ha Ha Helen is Ah Ah Ahhhhing after having purchased, assembled and tested her new Teeter Hangup Inversion Device!

I am a firm believer in inversion. I bought my first pair of Inversion Boots (with a hook) that hooked over a tension bar – that fit in a standard household doorway. Laughingly, I used to place a chair with my phone on it, next to me, while hanging from the bar in the inversion ankle boots. I wanted to make sure I could dial 911 in the event I couldn’t pull myself up to unhook myself from the bar, to lower myself to the floor. As I gained weight, in my 40s, I gave the inversion boots to a young guy I worked with in the office. I knew he could ‘handle them’ and not get stuck!

Then, the most wonderful thing! Being now over 50, I saw the Teeter Hangup Inversion Device advertised on TV. I’ve been salivating over it and decided to take the plunge when it was offered at a great deal on the Home Shopping Network.

Well! Let me tell ya’! I paced myself, slowly reading the instructions and assembling the product. I took breaks, made sure I had everything together securely. Read and reread the instructions and user manual. I have to say – I was EXHAUSTED! I felt like throwing in the towel and taking a nap, but I wanted to test it.

So, I took my time straddling the main support bar and stepping on the ankle support area. I made sure I was in securely, testing a couple times to make sure I heard the lock click, etc. then – slowly…. I allowed myself to angle/lower backwards.

AHHHHH… sweet relief! Defying gravity! I JUST LOVE INVERSION!!! Did I mention that? I kept a body check going and didn’t do anything fancy – just allowed myself to feel the relief of all my ‘body weight’ no longer bearing down on my knees, ankles and feet. AHHHHHH…. it was beautiful. My cats were totally confused. I kept feeling a set of cat paws near my legs. My cat couldn’t figure out where my head had gone!

When I started to feel some strain on one ankle I gently angled myself to an upright position and allowed my head to adjust.
After a few minutes, I unhooked the ankle clamps and stepped out.

MY, WHAT AN AMAZING THING! I FELT SOOOOOO ALERT AND AWAKE! I STILL DO! It’s like I had a refreshing nap! Before entering the device, I was exhausted, tired, fatigued, ready to throw in the towel. Now, it’s like my body/mind had a wake up call!

So, HA HA Helen is HAPPY and AH AH AHHHHHHING – thrilled with her new Inversion Device (the Teeter Hangup), and so grateful this gentleman followed his creativity and inspiration to create an inversion device an overweight, menopausal, woman over 50 can easily use!

THANK YOU MR. TEETER!

Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com

Well! I tend to mainly share ‘the good stuff’ ;o) But, while this ends, ‘Good’ it starts out yucky …

I got to make use of my 12 Step Program ‘amends step’ as well as Good Hearted-Living ‘Forgiveness and Kindness’ – today.

Besides being HA HA Helen, I have also been Hollywood Helen (when I sing and act), Highlighted Helen when I’m having an AH HA! moment, Healthy Helen, when I’m making positive strides with healthy eating, etc.

Well – just before the December Holidays (however you celebrate) – I had stopped in to my local Olive Garden Restaurant. It just happened to be a bit busy and the service was slow. The awkward thing is, they ‘know’ me there – mainly as a pleasant soul.
But – this particular time – being into Menopause…
I had become…
no – not a super hero – but
HORMONAL Helen! Needless to say – I did not handle myself well. I couldn’t seem to get out of the MODE of ‘making my point’ to the ‘pleasant but slow/inefficient’ ;o) server – that I was unpleased with her service.
She was trying her best to appease me and I just couldn’t ‘let it go’. Is that what menopause does to you?

Anyway – I left there feeling like crap – because I felt like such a foolish jerk. I certainly had the right to speak up about the service, but didn’t do it effectively. I thought: ‘Gheesh! I’ll never be able to go back in there, they know me and I just made a jerk of myself!’

Well! As ‘fate’ would have it, my younger sister had gotten me a Gift Card for… you guessed it – Olive Garden Restaurant! She laughed, after I told her my story and trying to now avoid the place. But – I took it as a sign I needed to ‘get back in there’ and work through it.

So – it’s been awhile, I hadn’t seen the server, but as luck would have it – TODAY – even though it’s a cold, rainy, gray day outside – there is sunshine back in my heart!

I happened to see the server when I stopped in for an appetizer. I called her over, addressed her by name and apologized. I told her she didn’t deserve to be treated the way I had treated her and I wanted to apologize. The great things with apologies is: both people benefit! She thanked me, said I didn’t have to do that, but it was nice that I had!

So – we had shared both forgiveness and kindness. I was feeling like a load was taken off. On the way home, I encountered a Big, Beautiful Blue Heron just taking off in flight near a marshy area.
I felt light as a feather and the bird was sending the same message back to me.

So, having let go of Hormonal Helen, I can once again be Ha Ha Helen in a Healthy, Highlighted way!

While I hate going through these ‘icky’ moments, they always give me something to share when I do my programs, to allow people to see that I’m not perfect, and show them how to practice Good Hearted Living.

‘Thanks for letting me share…’ ;o)
Ha Ha, Healthy, Highlighted Helen of LAFOLOT

It’s been an interesting week filled with mini-Ha Ha Helen moments!

Leaving the frozen zone and heading into Spring-like weather, earlier in the week I decided to go out for a brisk walk on Tuesday. I got about 1/8 mile out of my condo development and turned my right ankle, falling to my left knee, and using my right wrist to stop myself while…. trying to avoid a steep handicap access ramp! Oh, the irony of it all! (The sidewalk has many dips, due to constant driveway access and corner handicap access ramps – it’s actually a bit treacherous!) So – in pain – I forced myself into a standing position and gave the OK signal to a couple passing cars. Once they were gone – I turned around and headed back home. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY! ha ha

The middle of the week, I went grocery shopping and opted to use the ‘speedy self-scan’ checkout. The automated, voice-prompt on the unit to my right was speaking in Spanish. So, being friendly and enjoying meeting people from all over, I said to the guy using the unit: NO COMPRENDE’ (smile). He responded, “I don’t understand it either. I just get sick of the English prompts so I turn on the Spanish, so I don’t understand what it’s saying.” Then, he promptly left. HA HA – what a moment!

The third thrill for the week was when I was walking past a women’s clothing store window. I saw a woman in the window, standing at the glass. There was a cell phone to her ear. I had to do a double-take. It was a sales associate trying to get good reception on her phone! I did the double-take, took a couple steps back, stopped, stared … SHE DID A POSE! We both laughed – as she continued on with her call and me with my walking.

LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN! Look for and savor those moments that bring smiles and laughs and good health! Sometimes it helps to add a little quirkiness to the day.

Live life in amazement.. and make your own special moments!
HA HA! Helen … of LAFOLOT

What a morning! While casually sitting at my computer at 9:36am, I realized my dentist appointment was at 10:00am NOT 11:00am! Well! I set a world record! I showered, styled my hair (blow dry and all), got out of the house and to the dentist – just a minute late! I announced my amazing feat, to the office staff, as I entered their lobby. They all laughed.

I shared the A-LO-HA laugh with the dentist, who informed me his wife tells him all the time: stop and breathe! My dental hygienist shared her excitement of nearly being finished with the children’s’ book she is writing. She even had it ‘kid tested’ by allowing her pre-teen son to read it as she went along. I got the A-OK from the dentist and headed out for more errands.

I stopped at our local OFFICE MAX supply store, with the intention to make some LAFOLOT Workshop Handout copies. Well, when I entered the store it was ‘tension city’ over by the IM Press copy area.
There were at least 3 people at the copy-assistance counter. The self-copy area had a woman running her own copies in major focus/stress mode.

I thought about leaving and coming back later, but I decided to assess the situation. The woman was using the black & white copier. The other black & white copier had an ‘OUT OF ORDER’ sign on it. I knew I had some color copies to make, so I decided to be brave and ask the woman if she was using the color copier. Good news, my head was not bitten off and she moved her coat off the area of the work counter next to the color copier! Things were looking up!

I thought I had some black and white copies to make, as well, so I asked a store associate who offered to make them behind the ‘assistance counter’ for the same price as the self-help copier area. Once I looked at my copies I realized I only needed the color copier so I let the associate go. He was happy because he was dealing with calling technical support to fix the broken copier.

I was happy with myself for not getting caught up in the tense atmosphere. The woman to my right had a major, efficient, system flow going. Burst some computer printout sheet, then run to the copier, make a bunch of copiers, stack them up and repeat the process. There were tons and tons of copies being made of computer printout sheets. If you wanted to hire an efficient copier person, this would be the one! I stayed out of her way! I tend to joke around and get in people’s business when I’m out and about, but I decided to be smart and quietly make my color copies! *grin

Well, after a little while, she spoke! She noted that she had to have all these copies done and to the lawyer by 1:00pm. I felt it was now safe to offer some help and talk; so I said: ‘Would you like me to help you deal with the stress?’ She laughed. THIS WAS GOOD! I said: ‘Just plant a smile on your face while you work and it will help you relieve stress and open your mind while following through with your task!” She smiled and laughed. She said: ‘Yes, I can feel it helping me already!’ What a willing participant! This was another good sign!

She asked what I did, since she saw my copies with LAFOLOT on them. I gave her a one minute breakdown about Laughter Yoga and its health benefits. How it could help her with her immediate situation, etc. I said: ‘Would you like to do the STRAW SMILE with me?’ She was game! So, I told her to plant a frozen, grin, smile on her face and just start laughing! WELL, LET ME TELL YA’! SHE WAS WONDERFUL! There we were, in the open, self-copy area of OFFICE MAX – LAUGHING LOUDLY! HA HA HA I love doing the straw smile laugh because I emit some giggles, then some higher pitched opera-type laugh, and a bunch of other laugh varieties. She was naturally laughing along with me. The more I laughed, the more she laughed. AMAZINGLY, she didn’t miss a beat with her copying process!

So there we were, GRINNING, LAUGHING AND COPYING (forget about whistle while you work). I told her: ‘This is great! It’s great you laugh so easily!’

Another funny thing happened. The original, helpful associate came back to get the serial number off the broken copier. He was almost taking it apart, looking for the number. The other associate told him to look on the front panel. After that, the other associate came over, pressed something and announced: ‘IT’S FIXED!’ ha ha ha

Maybe all the laughter cleared the negative energy and even made the equipment more relaxed!

A FUN TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!

So if you can’t ‘WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK’ – try a STRAW SMILE LAUGH!

Live Life! Laugh Often!
Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com