LAFOLOT

This is a TRIBUTE to a Healthy Happy Hour Laughter Club attendee.
I held a ‘Healthy Happy Hour’ Laughter Club at a local, highrise retirement apartment building.
It was a wonderful location, but I couldn’t get regular attendance. The last three months I held the club – my main attendee was HELEN D.

Helen D. was about 96 years old,
full of LOVE, SMILES, LAUGHTER and SPARKLING EYES!
She had a wonderful, scratchy, high-pitched voice – which happens as we age.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED that Helen D. would show up and she didn’t mind if it was just us laughing together!
I said to her: I find it amazing, that the people that show up regularly at my laughter programs at Senior Centers are those over the age of 90! I said: THAT says something for laughter and longevity!

She agreed.

Well! Of all places, I ran into two women that also lived at her apartment building 2 days ago. It was at the DOLLARTREE store where I get supplies – a FUN PLACE. So it was APPROPRIATE that I should hear about my LAUGHING friend Helen D. when I went there.

Evidently, Helen D. had to have the last laugh!
Helen died in her apartment on THE FOURTH OF JULY (Independence Day!)
I’m sure Helen D., sparkling eyes, laughter and smiles is thrilled that

SHE GOT TO GO OUT WITH A BANG! I think her spirit flew to the heavens with all the Fireworks displays going on and she was LAUGHING WITH GLEE!

I miss her greatly, but just thinking of her brings smiles and laughter to my heart and soul!

FLY FREE LAUGHINGLY HELEN D!!!!!!

Just like you to have the last laugh and GO OUT WITH A BANG!

Live Life! Laugh Often! and maybe you’ll live to the ripe age of 96!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living Life! and Laughing Often!
Next time you see fireworks – think of Helen D – laughing freely!
www.lafolot.com

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blog name: Helenoflafolot

WOW! I just LOVE ‘Magical Synchronicity’!

It is a HOT, HUMID, MUGGY 90 degrees fahrenheit outside today! One of those oppressive type days! Sun beating down relentlessly! The kind that makes you grateful to have air conditioning, shelter, etc.

So, by now, you can imagine how I was feeling when I left a restaurant and was walking back out to my car, thinking “OH MY GOSH! I’M GOING TO PASS OUT! THIS HEAT IS SOMETHING ELSE!” I am grateful to have air conditioning in my car as well as to have a car. I start driving down the road after making a second stop at the grocery store – the heat/sun was beating through the windshield. I look at the license plate on the vehicle in front of me:

OHMEOMY

I laughed out loud! My sentiments, exactly! I was finally able to RELEASE a LAUGH about the weather!
What synchronicity! What Magic! Some ANGEL or FLUKE put that license plate in front of me to express what I was holding in about the weather! OH! ME! OH! MY!

Then, a car drives by in the lane on my left and I see the license plate:

MY3STRZ

I think, God, the Universe, Spirit, Angels, who knows – were REALLY starting to mess with me! I laughed out loud!

MY STARS! IT WAS HOT! OH! ME! OH MY! WAS IT HOT!

Then, I got another laugh and smile, remembering how my dad used to make words out of interesting license plates he would see while driving. This was WAY before PERSONALIZED license plates got popular!

I recall him saying, when I bought a new Subaru JUSTY and the license plate was: BYZ (he walked out to the car to give his nod of approval and announced BE WISE! BE WISE!) ha ha ha

The year he died (August 11, 2000), I got a new car/license plate and the first 3 letters were: DAD [how appropriate!] I kept the license plate, even though I have since upgraded my vehicle and now have a HA-HAHA license plate; of which I feel he would approve!

So, in all this heat and humidity, I once again was reminded how to: DRIVE MYSELF HAPPY!

You can read more about my new DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! Campaign at my website.

Too HOT? Too much traffic? Too agitated about life’s challenges while driving?

Turn off your cell phone, focus on the road, and SEE HOW MANY FUN WORDS you can make out of the license plates driving by you!

DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! and KEEP SPREADING THOSE SMILES BY THE MILES!
Stay Sweet!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

I have been having a lot of people share with me lately:

1) I was sitting at a funeral for my mother. They started to play a church song that my mom, disliked. They reached one particular line that she especially hated – I BURST OUT LAUGHING!

2) I was in a very serious situation, I had not been dealing with it well, it’s not a situation where you would normally laugh; and I BURST OUT LAUGHING!

3) I was working on a mechanical problem, lying flat on my face, trying to unscrew a difficult nut and bolt and, suddenly, I BURST OUT LAUGHING UNCONROLLABLY!

As a trained, certified laughter leader – I am required to keep abreast of new studies on laughter and smiling benefits and impacts on the body and mind. I also do a lot of my own observations and testing when I am out and about in public. When I give my laughter wellness talks or motivational-inspirational speaking, I share information and experiences people have shared with me.

When my father was dying, I was blessed with being with him at his last coule breaths. I was also blessed to be from a large family. My mother or other siblings would be with him, at the hospital, during the day; then I would come in the evening. My dad LOVED to joke around, clown around, with kids as well as adults. He had his standard set of jokes. When a non-denominational minister came into intensive care to visit, she started out serious and my dad made a joke. She was so focused on the ‘Here’s a dying man with a family member, I better show respect…’ she didn’t realized he had joked with her. I let her know he was joking. She stopped and looked at me. I said, my dad loves to joke around, and I smiled. ‘WELL THEN, SHE SAID! I CAN STAY RIGHT IN THERE WITH THE BEST OF THEM!’ The rest of her visit was LITE and FLUFFY and my dad had a smile on his face at the end of her visit, giving her a thank you.

When my dad passed on, I went to tell the nurses. They were ready to console me. I said, ‘Oh No! I’m great! It was wonderful to be here, see him let go so peacefully.’ We started to talk about a funny fishing story where my dad had put a safety pin on the end of a string so I could FISH at the canal near our home. We were laughing out loud when my mother arrived. She was also at peace that he had been able to let go and pass on peacefully.

EVERYONE GRIEVES and LETS GO of their own life and of their loved one’s lives in a different way.

I have had more and more people tell me how they laugh and smile when they MISS and GRIEVE their loved ones. I have a minister friend tell me a woman said to her: ‘IF YOU’RE HERE TO HELP ME DIE, DON’T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE A** ON THE WAY OUT! IF YOU’RE HERE TO HELP ME ENJOY LIFE WHILE I’M STILL BREATHING, COME ON IN AND PULL UP A CHAIR!’

I had a representative of a Hospice, at a networking event, tell me yesterday (when I was at the event wearing my tinsel deely bobber headband): ‘YOU CAN’T WEAR THOSE AT THE HOSPICE!’ I was instantly shocked. I told her the story I noted above.

I respect everyone’s wishes and beliefs in grieving. Everyone’s wishes and beliefs are different and personal. I know MANY people that would be THRILLED to have me show up wearing Tinsel Deely Bobber Headbands if they were wanting to LET GO LITELY!

I heard of a family who lost their mentally/physically disabled son. They had a PARTY with BALLOONS at his viewing! Why? Because he LOVED PARTIES and BALLOONS! I wore PINK to a friend’s husbands funeral. He was a FUN LOVING FAMILY MAN and HUSBAND! He was KIND and CARING and FULL OF LIFE! He knew how to make you feel better when you were down, just by a kind word. I celebrated his LITENESS by wearing a LITE, BRIGHT COLOR to his funeral.

As for me – I want to LET GO LITELY and be seen with a SMILE on my face as I’m going to my next exciting adventure!

It’s OKAY to LAUGH at a funeral. Laughter isn’t all about responding to a joke. It’s OKAY to SMILE at a funeral. I tell people all the time – GRIEVING sometimes gets STUCK inside your body. Sometimes – planting a SMILE on your face or OPENING your MOUTH and LAUGHING allows the STUCK GRIEVING FEELINGS to SPILL OUT! I have had this happen to me on many occassions. When I feel STUCK – I open my mouth in a grin and sometimes start a tone to help my body let out, whatever it needs to process. Some cultures call this WHALING. It’s a healthy thing, to LET IT OUT and LET IT GO LITELY.

It may not be for everyone, but for those that wish – it should be allowed.

One of my favorite writings is by S.H. Payer: ‘Live each day to the fullest… be yourself, but be your best self… look forward with confidence and back without regrets…’

Another writer I like is: Don Miguel Ruiz who notes: Each day do you best. Each day your best is different, based on how you are feeling. So there are no regrets, because you are always doing your best.

If you need to LAUGH, laugh. If you need to CRY, cry. If you need to make a crack in your face with a smile to start a process, do it. No regrets – it’s your way of processing your feelings.

LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN! until your breath stops -
May you live till you LET GO LITELY with a smile on your face –
May you have the chance to make all your amends, forgive freely and know that you have done your best – and when you are ready to LET GO – LET GO LIGHTLY in the brightest of light with that smile emanating even after your spirit has left your body.

…with peace and a smile Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life in A-MAZE-MENT and make them wonder WHY you were smiling when you left.

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

WOW! Double, Triple WOW! WOW! WOW!

I just got back from presenting a ‘Laughter? Let’s Get Serious!’ Laughter Wellness (a.k.a. Laughter Therapy, Laughter Yoga) program to a beautiful, HEARTY, HAR HAR HARDY bunch of generous, amazing women in a small mountain town about 20 miles from my home.

My HEART is SO FULL OF WARMTH from the ‘HEARTY’ reception I received after I presented the program to these women. They were not afraid or shy about responding to my suggestions with a HARDY HAR HAR HAR – laughing with me on fully on their own!

Their event was to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness and known as: ‘Paint the Town Pink’ – a Longaberger Basket fundraising event. There were at least 3 Cancer BEATERs there!

When I was done with the program and they finished their raffles – during which we all had fun using my LAFOLOT Cheering Flags to HOOT, HOLLER AND CHEER each winner of the many items raffled – they headed over to my LAFOLOT table of goodies for sale.

I have to say – I have never seen a more WARM, HARDY, HEARTY, GENEROUS bunch of beautiful souls! My heart welled up with warmth as they took turns telling me their personal stories –

One woman is a veteran who is no longer in active service due to injury. She explained she is home alone with two young children while her husband works. She note: THANK YOU SO MUCH! I’LL BE ABLE TO APPLY SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU SHARED! I WON’T HAVE TO SMOKE IN THE CAR ANY MORE! I’LL JUST WHIP OUT THIS PINWHEEL STRESS RELIEVER EVERYTIME I WANT A CIGARETTE!

Another woman came up to me and told me about her older friend who had a stroke and couldn’t make it. She asked if she could take ONE additional pinwheel stress reliever to give to her friend. I made her take three! I also gave her one of my Helen of LAFOLOT a Night at the Piano Bar music CDs so her friend could listen to the mellow sounds and heal from her stroke. I told her to laugh and listen to the music with her friend, it will help her mind to heal.

Another woman came up and said: WOW! WE COULD SURE USE THIS PROGRAM AT MY WORKPLACE! I was thrilled! She works at a local company whose attention I had been trying to get. I gave her a brochure and more SMILEY bookmarks and thanked her.

These women were so generous! Did I not say that already! I put my hand to my heart and sent it out to them one after the other. They just kept coming up, and giving me more than I was asking for my products to help my cause! My heart was welling with warmth and gratitude!

It was one story after the other, about how much they had gotten out of it, how wonderful it was, how they were going to apply it. I sold many Live Life! Laugh Often! Magnetic Bumper Displays. I normally give them to people that put them on their cars since it is advertising – but they insisted on paying!

These were the most AMAZING, HEARTY, HARDY HAR HAR LAUGHING FREELY, AS WELL AS FREELY SPREADING WARMTH AND GENEROSITY BUNCH of women I have ever met!

THANKS SO MUCH TO THE DUNCANNON, PA LONGABERGER BASKET – PAINT THE TOWN PINK WOMEN’S FUNDRAISING DINNER – YOU HAVE WARMED MY HEART MORE THAN THIS 100 DEGREE HEAT WAVE WE HAVE BEEN HAVING!

WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE -
HA HA HELEN Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often! and
PAINT THE TOWN PINK!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

I was also going to title this blog entry: THEY REMEMBERED!

When I was first starting my LAFOLOT business back in May of 2008, I hit the ground running with marketing and advertising. I made use of keychains from A.C. Moore Craft store that allow you to unsnap the circle shape, place your own printed design inside and snap it closed/sealed.

When I was entering an Olive Garden Restaurant near me, and a crowd was outside, one particular man stood out. He was Laughing Out Loud, surrounded by several other people. I whipped out one of my: I Love to LAFOLOT keychains, walked up to him and said: ‘HERE, YOU NEED THIS!’ When he read it, he Laughed Out Loud! His family got a chuckle out of it.

Well! Zoom forward to June 30, 2010 -
I’m walking out of Olive Garden Restaurant -
I see an older couple and a younger girl standing around my car, looking at the HA-HAHA license plate;
Live Life! Laugh Often! Bumper Display; and
magnetic side panel advertising: LAFOLOT – Laughter Clubs and Talks; Motivational Speaking…

I was REALLY tempted to use my cars ‘help you find you car in a crowded parking lot’ feature and press the button to set all the lights flashing. The young girl was at the back of the car looking at the license plate.

But, when I’ve done silly stuff like that in the past, it has backfired on me. I thought, watch me do this and it won’t stop! HA HA

So, I crossed the parking lot, they saw me coming (AND THEY DIDN’T RUN! THAT WAS A GOOD SIGN! HA HA).
They had big SMILES on their faces.
I told them what I had planned to do with the car alarm system, they laughed.

The older woman told me: ‘DO YOU REMEMBER US? YOU GAVE MY HUSBAND A KEY CHAIN YEARS BACK!’ ‘YOU SAID, -HERE, YOU NEED THIS!’ when we were standing outside the restaurant talking with our sons!

I laughed, I HAD REMEMBERED! I said: ‘It’s only been since May 2008!’ The lady laughed and said, ‘That’s YEARS ago to ME!’ I guess they were telling their granddaughter about me, the keychain, and she was getting a kick out of my car advertising.

I told them, ‘Well, you made my day!’ You not only remembered me, but gave me the gift of letting me know you remembered!’ I told them how I teach ‘Good Hearted Living’ by Steve Wilson as well as Laughter Therapy/Wellness. I said: I tell people all the time how it doesn’t cost anything to share a compliment or kindness. I asked them if I had given them a bookmark back then and did they each want one? They did! So I gave them each a SMILEY face, bright yellow LAFOLOT bookmark.

So –

THEY REMEMBERED!
They had a PHOTOGRAPHIC memory of the event and it brought them laughter and smiles!
The young girl was PHOTOGRAPHING my license plate! (HA HA)

So I had to: SMILE! It was a PICTURE PERFECT moment!

Share those SMILES BY THE MILES, share your wonderful thoughts, moments and memories and make people’s days. Remind yourself and others how special they have made your life!

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

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot

Whenever I present a ‘Laughter? Let’s Get Serious!’ talk, I also present ‘Good Hearted Living Principles’ based on a book by Steve Wilson, CSP. I talk about how you don’t need money to give a gift!

1) Give the Gift of Laughter!
2) Give the Gift of a Smile!
3) Good Hearted Living deals with giving the Gift of: Compliments, Flexibility, Gratitude, Kindness and Forgiveness.

None of the above require the exchange of paper money or the economy to be boosted in order to BOOST SOMEONE’S SPIRITS!

Instead of business cards, I give out Business BOOKMARKS! My bookmarks are bright yellow (yellow agitates the brain and inspires learning!). I included a silly, smiley face on all my bookmarks as well as ways to create a happier, more positive life through my list of suggestions on the back of the bookmark.

Whenever I am out and about, I LOVE sharing my SMILES (part of my SMILE CAMPAIGN) as well as my Bright, Yellow, Silly, Uplifting Bookmarks to brighten people’s days!

I always ask permission from a nearby parent; but when a child is crying, fussing or having a bad day – or bad time communicating their needs; I walk, run, or waddle over – put a silly smile and big eyed look on my face and ask: WOULD YOU LIKE SOME HELP GETTING YOUR SMILE BACK?

Usually, the child gets quiet (probably out of the shear fear of encountering a strange adult! HA HA HA), the parent askes if they would like the bookmark, they nod or reach out and I ask: Has this helped you find you smile again? Can you show me you smile? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t and THAT’S OKAY!

So COMICALLY, ECONOMICALLY it doesn’t cost even a PENNY for me to make these colorful business bookmarks that – in a PINCH (if you are PINCHING PENNIES) – BOOST THE SPIRIT, MOOD, DAY of the recipient.

So, one silly, smiley, yellow business bookmark at a time – I’m doing my part to comically boost the Emotional Economy of the public.

It’s a SILLY JOB, BUT SOMEONE’S GOTTA DO IT! Who ‘da THUNK a little piece of yellow cardboard could have so much comical-economical power!

Have a silly, smiley, laughter filled, comically-economically boosted kinda day –
HEY! Why Not? It’s HEALTHY!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often!
Spread those SMILES BY THE MILES and make the inner light SHINE of everyone you meet!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

Finally settling into my new modular home after letting go of my condo and putting it on the market –
this has been a day full of surprises!

I tend to have premonitions. I thought this morning, ‘I need to move some of my LAFOLOT Live Life! Laugh Often!’ inventory’. As I was getting ready to leave my favorite Thai restaurant, Thai Palace – the owner/chef peeked out of the kitchen: ‘Do you have any more of those T-Shirts he asked?’ His cute daughter, Elizabeth was there also. YES! I said! Then, I realized he was talking about the new, ‘ME!’ t-shirt I had created and was wearing.

What size? I asked. XL – Yes – I had one in my stash in the car! So I sold him a ME! (LAFOLOT) t-shirt as well as an “I Love to LAFOLOT and GIGGLE, too!” shirt for his daughter, in exchange for a free lunch, tomorrow! I love bartering t-shirts for Thai food!

Then, I headed up the road to complete a few more errands. On the way home, I stopped at a Burger King drive-thru for a soda. My throat was feeling crappy from the hot/humid/allergin-ridden air. It was really hot, even with the A/C, waiting behind one other car. Seemed like it was taking awhile for their ‘fast food’ order. I got my money ready, pulled up to the window and the girl announced: ‘HERE! IT’S FREE! SINCE YOU HAD TO WAIT SO LONG!’
WOW! What a nice surprise!

I instantly thought of the ‘Good Hearted Living Principles’ by Steve Wilson, CSP (my Certified Laughter Leader teacher). I thought, Thursdays may be for Kindness; but we need a day for SURPRISES! Then, I realized, the SURPRISE is the RESULT of the KINDNESS for the recipient!

As I got to a major intersection traffic light, traffic in front of me was doing the usual STOP, Look and make a RIGHT turn on RED – which is allowed in my neck of the woods. So, I did the same. Well, BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
I automatically screamed and my hands almost flew off the steering wheel! A car was directly on my bumper! From WHERE had it come?

That was my LAST SURPRISE! All I have to say is, it’s best not to do a strong, loud, BEEP when something like that happens. I certainly didn’t pull out in front of anyone on purpose. It looked like I had the ‘all clear.’ Plus, traffic was at a stand still due to another red light up the road and traffic having to merge. No one was going anywhere fast.
So, I don’t really know why the vehicle that beep, did so loudly and aggressively, since we both had to slowly merge into the congested traffic.

So SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE as Gomer Pyle used to say! Some from a psychic premonition, some from a treat for being nice and waiting patiently and some from aggressive, angry drivers –

either way – my blood is pumping and my heart is functioning fine! Thank you very much!

Have a happily, surprising day!
HA HA Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com
LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

Did you know there is a ‘Law of Average’ or Standards? It applies in Interior Design, when drafting and indicating counter heights, seat heights, ceiling heights, etc. It applies in school systems, noting whether we fall above or below average on a grading scale. It applies when a child is born, relating to their height, weight or mental/emotional capacity.

I write in my book, ‘Life is a Song in the Key of Love’, that we may tend to unknowingly show bias or prejudice, and the best way to deal with it is talk openly. I suggest asking questions and becoming more familiar with cultures, non-average folks so that we may educate ourselves and break down barriers.

Yesterday, I had another ‘OOOPS I DID IT AGAIN!’ moment relating to making an ‘Assumption’ about another human being. Luckily, I was able to talk openly and educate myself, thank goodness!

I was sat at a booth at a local restaurant. About 6 feet across from me, in another booth, was a family consisting of the mom, dad, and two young boys. I already knew what I wanted, so I was just staring off into space. I suddenly noticed ‘more movement’ out of my left eye. The one boy was ‘playing peek-a-boo’ with me! I LOVE playing with kids when they initiate play out in public, being bored with their families. Babies do this a lot, by looking away from their parents and observiing with big, wide eyed looks as they absorb all the ‘new stuff’ they are seeing and experiencing.

So, my first thought was: ‘this boy seems too old to be playing peek-a-boo, but I’ll go along since he is having fun!’ So I put some silly grins on my face, he ducks and hides behind his daddy.
He pops his head out again, and I give him a wide open-eyed look! He ducks and hides.
He makes another appearance and I hide my face with the menu. He is giggling, hiding, popping up, and smiling.
Life gets too serious, too fast – so I love doing my part to allow kids to be kids and have fun!

All the while, I’m thinking – FOR THIS KID’S HEIGHT (here I go with my assumption and LAW OF AVERAGE), he seems to be a 7 or 8 year old playing PEEK-A-BOO like a little two year old!

Well, I’ve had many opportunities to assist parents with crying toddlers by offering them one of my SMILEY Face bookmarks. When the child sees it, their face lights up and they get curious. It usually stops them from crying.
So, in this case, even though this was a happy BOBBING, PEEK-A-BOO child, I offered him a SMILEY Face bookmark (actually my business card), and gave him an extra for his brother. The parents thanked me, and we went back to our own table space.

A little later, I asked the boy (who I ASSUMED was about 7 or 8 years old), ‘did you READ the back of the bookmark?’
[It has wonderful positive statements about having a fun, healthy outlook on life.]
The mother looked over and said:

HE’S ONLY 4, HE DOESN’T READ YET. [There's the LAW OF AVERAGE!] I ASSUMED he was older, even though I thought his behavior a bit juvenile! This child was almost 4 feet tall and was 4 years old!

I could have smacked myself. I said to the mother: ‘My he’s tall for his age!’ [COULD SOMEONE STUFF A SOCK IN MY MOUTH!]

We are all so unique and beautiful, but we have this LAW OF AVERAGE on which everything is based. I got treated differently because I was short, fat and female – when I worked in a technological environment. My age also came into play due to the field in which I worked. I talk a lot about this LAW OF AVERAGE in my book, by giving examples of scenarios experienced by friends.

I am making a judgement about myself. My book is about AWARENESS and Appreciating Life in All its Forms of Expression. I just had another dose of, ’step out of your Law of Average awareness and open your mind to other possibilities’ Helen. I’m glad the mother was comfortable enough to talk with me. I’m glad the boy was COMFORTABLE enough with himself to feel free to PLAY LIKE A FOUR YEAR OLD even though people may see him as a seven or eight year old.

Like Forest Gump said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates’ – there’s a wide variety, full of wonderful flavors. Life is a Song in the Key of Love, full of wonderful variations on musical themes, with a wonderful mix of musical notes.

I got to HEAR THE SOUND of a TALL FOUR YEAR OLD while he MOVED FREELY in life, BOBBING up and down, around his daddy, feeling free to play PEEK A BOO with an over 50, menopausal women.

He held no bias towards me! He just saw a PLAY PAL – not a short, fat, 51 year old, menopausal woman!

Thank you beautiful four year old boy for accepting me as I am and showing me how to do the same. Angels come in ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!

Highlighted Helen of LAFOLOT
Be in AWE of it ALL!
Make Life a Song!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog may also be seen at Vibrant Nation under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]

I was blessed to have the opportunity to give a LAFOLOT Laughter Wellness demo at our local ‘The Healthy Grocer’ store this past Tuesday. They open their lunchroom to ‘alternative healers/wellness’ folks to demonstrate their gifts.

I entered wearing my ‘now unofficially trademarked’ Tinsel Deely Bobber Headband. A store clerk approached me as I went up to talk to my contact and asked: ‘Are YOU the laughter wellness person?’ I said: ‘What makes you say that?’ Greg, ‘The Healthy Grocer’ wellness program coordinator said: ‘She asked how she’d know you. I told her, don’t worry, you won’t miss her!’ HA HA – Good thing I remembered to wear the tinsel deely bobber headband into the store!

I encountered a blonde hair, blue eyed, wide-eyed with a BIG SMILE little toddler as I was waiting for folks to arrive. Kids tend to think I’m a clown just because of my head gear! I had one of my LAFOLOT Stress Reliever Pinwheels with me, and I was making it twirl around. The little girl was EYEing it. When she and her mom and grandmom went to check out – I held the pinwheel out towards her. (I had already given her a smiley face bookmark.) It was hilarious – we started a TODDLER vs. SILLY ADULT PERSON – dance. She took two steps forward, two steps back! So I did the same. She giggled. I started a sideways crab walk movement, continuing to hold out the pinwheel towards her – then I’d step back. She mimicked me. She giggled. So we shimmied forward and back, sideways and back till I finally stretched long and forward so she would take the pinwheel. She accepted it with a big smile! Her ‘mommy’ told her to say thank you! It was the funniest thing! I love playing with kids and their shyness…OR WAS SHE PLAYING WITH ME AND MY ADULTNESS?

I had two wonderful attendees at my program. One was named IDA and she was professionally trained as a clown known as CHARITY! We had healthy fun and they took smiley bookmarks to pass around, LAFOLOT pamphlets, LAFOLOT canvas shopping bags, as well as wanted to bring me to their church to do a program or a Full Belly Laughter Club! It was a success!

When I left, I stopped at our local ARBYs. I ordered a small drink and decided to order the cheese sticks. When I got to the window to pay, the guy asked: ‘Did you get your drink yet?’ Well no – so I answered. (this made no sense but I just went with the flow) I had agreed to donate a Dollar to Big Brothers Big Sisters so I was gathering my quarters together. A girl came to the window and asked if I was a motivational speaker? She had seen my LAFOLOT Magnetic advertising panel on the side of my card. I said YES! and gave her a few SMILEY FACE bookmarks (I don’t use business cards). I let her know it would be fun to bring me in for an emloyee meeting, etc. She was excited. Then, the young guy who had asked about the drink gave me my ‘BAG’ with my order. As I pulled forward I reached into the bag and it didn’t feel like cheese sticks. I had been given a roast beef sandwich! HA HA HA – I just continued on home! There was too big a line of cars at the drive thru to go back and I was tired!

I had to drive through the GIANT Food Store parking lot to get to an exit with a traffic light, for ease of getting across the roadway in the opposite direction. I had paid for Shopping Cart advertising at this store for two seasons, but had to stop due to lack of funds. As I stopped at one of the ‘customer crosswalk’ indicators, a mom and her little girl were pushing their cart across the road into the store. The little girl turned and smiled at me. I got a laugh and smile! I saw the cart she was pushing had my LAFOLOT Laughter Wellness big AD on it! I guess they didn’t have an AD to replace it and let mine on the cart from the last season! WHAT A GIFT!

So! Between the little girl toddler who PLAYED with me to get her pinwheel and the little girl showing me that I was getting FREE Advertising – they BOOK-ENDED a perfect evening of healthy laughter, fun and play!

SOMEONE OUT THERE IS LOOKING OUT FOR ME – THANKS! ;O)

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living Life in Amazement!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
…and don’t be afraid to do the crab sidestep with a toddler once in awhile
[this blog can also be seen on Vibrant Nation under blog name: Helenoflafolot]

It’s been a day of discoveries and surprising prosperity!

I started out the day balancing my checkbook and discovering a $10 subtraction error; then still showing a $21.21 difference in MY favor! This was interesting, because the numbers 12 and 21 have been appearing in my daily transactions a lot, lately!

I then gathered together some books I no longer needed and drove them over to donate to my local library; for a book sale they are having in June. Before I drove to the library, I stopped at a business to check in with its owner about a future workshop. I found a note on the door that the owner was at a meeting, but luckily, when I turned around – a person I knew who recently called to refer me to a possible future speaking gig was at the Stop Light near the corner, where I was standing!

I called over a Hullo! and we exchanged a few words, the light changed, and I left smiling at the synchronicity!

I then headed to my favorite Thai Palace restaurant for lunch. I was a little bummed out, because of having left so many magnetic bumper displays there, which get taken, but I never see them on the cars parked at the restaurant. Well – I thought too soon!
I went to sit in a booth and a group of 3 adults and a toddler were sitting in a booth back and to the right of me.
The little girl was fussy and started to cry (which is OK with me, that’s what kids do!). I instantly pulled out one of my ‘REFLECT A SMILE’ popsicle sticks with a little round mirror on the end. I use it to market one of my talks, my smile campaign and my website.
I asked the ‘mom’ if it was okay to give the little girl one? She nodded, okay. When I gave it to the little girl, she was all smiles! I also gave her one of my yellow, Smiley Face bookmarks.

Well what do you think happened? The mom said: ‘ARE YOU THE LAUGHTER PERSON whose advertising is out on the business card board?’ I said ‘Yes!’ She responded how great that was, asked me what I do, and her husband and friend affirmed they’d love to have me come over and host a Laughter Party! I asked them if they minded me talking to them since they were eating, they said no, not at all! They wanted to start having more ‘meaningful’ parties at their home with guest speakers.

I gave them a mini demo of what I do, then I sat down. The little girl’s mom then let me know that she had seen my advertising around the area, at other places, that I was becoming well known to them and that I was almost embedded in her mind! (WHY? was I worried about not seeing my magnetic bumper displays!)
I told her I also teach Good Hearted Living re: Compliments and Kindness. I told her: ‘You made my day! You gave me the gift of a compliment and the kindness to share your appreciation of what I do!’ I said: ‘That is priceless! Thank you!’

We went about finishing our meals and said our goodbyes. I then stopped at my local grocery store. I’m always looking for restrooms and had too much Iced Tea to drink so I ran to unload! ha ha Last time I used this store’s restroom, I found over seventy five cents on the floor! So, when I entered, I exclaimed – ‘I am prosperous!’ I looked down, no money. ha ha

So I went about my shopping. I had been wanting to buy three new litter boxes and had been having trouble locating them at the grocery stores. I also didn’t want to spend a lot of money due to downsizing and being in the middle of saving money for my move to lighten up my expense load. I couldn’t find the litter boxes in the pet supplies aisle. I finally asked the speedy checkout clerk. A young guy in ‘plain clothes’ (not in the store’s uniform) asked what I needed, when the girl I asked wasn’t sure. He took me to the pet aisle and I explained I hadn’t found any there. Then, I looked UP and saw them on a very high place. He announced, here they are; and they’re only 1.97 each! I said, ‘Well! At that price, I can’t pass it up – give me three!’ I then asked if he worked there. He noted he was a night shift employee. I said, ‘Well thank you so much for your help, HERE HAVE A BOOKMARK!’ HA HA
He laughed. I said, ‘I ‘ll let the manager know how helpful you’ve been.’ I said, ‘Sorry I don’t have more than the bookmark to give you!’ He responded, ‘Hey! It’s more than anyone else has given me today!’ We laughed.

I went to the checkout and let the girl know how thrilled I was with his assistance and that the cat litter pans were only $1.97 each! Well! She was on the ball! I didn’t even notice. She stopped me after I self-scanned two of them. They weren’t coming up at $1.97.

To make a long story come to a close (ha ha), she discovered they ‘were’ on sale but for $2.51 bonus buy with the store’s club card – which I had. So, 2 other cashier clerk supervisors later, I ended up getting one cat litter pan for FREE (for my troubles) and the other two at $2.51 each (normally $2.98)! I asked for a customer comment card, and put all their names on the card, giving them credit for their SUPER SERVICE!

So, I guess I was right after all! I AM PROSPEROUS AND WEALTHY! Clear out the emotional and physical clutter and open yourself to the gifts waiting to come your way in Speaking Gigs, discounts and Free Items!

Have a day full of surprising, magical discoveries!
Highlighted Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often!
Live Life in Amazement!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at Vibrant Nation under blog name: Helenoflafolot]