I just finished printing out my new t-shirt transfer: SPREAD THOSE SMILES, BY THE MILES … DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY!

I cut it out, placed it on my bright yellow t-shirt to see how it would look -

Walked over to my stereo to turn on the radio -

the song: ON THE WINGS OF LOVE just started with the line … “JUST SMILE FOR ME AND LET THE DAY BEGIN…”

I walked into my bedroom and the digital clock noted: 9:16 [HA HA Helen's TIME TO LAUGH!] Looks like GIG short for Giggle!

What a MAGICAL, SYNCHRONISTICAL moment!

enough said – I’m smiling…and giggling.

Live Life! Laugh Often!
Spread those SMILES by the MILES!
Drive Yourself Happy!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com

An hour or so ago, I was driving through a local Plaza Parking Lot to go get a bite to eat.

I came across a very nice, high end, luxury vehicle parked in front of the Chinese Takeout place. The PERSONALIZED license plate noted:

IM NUD

Now, HOW would YOU pronounce that?

So, being ME, I couldn’t resist. No one was behind me, so I pulled slowly forward, rolled down my passenger side window -

The VERY POLISHED, WELL DRESSED, EYE-GLASS WEARING woman looked at me. I SMILED and said, ‘Well, I just had to check?’ She gave a questioning look. I said: ‘The license plate!’

She said: ‘Oh, you probably think it says I’m nude – but it says I’m Nud (pronounced with American English short U sound as in Nut).

I went silent and drove forward. It took EVERYTHING in me not to LAUGH OUT LOUD!

I give a talk called ‘Seeing with New Eyes’ and shifting personal awareness and perception. Guess she told me!

I Laughed out Loud and giggled in the car. I had to slow down and tell another driver passing me in the other direction. They laughed out loud.

Here’s the big BA DUMP BUMP and *rim shot

The number 5 is pronounced HA in Thai – I looked at my car clock and it noted: 5:55 – - I had to let out another HA:HAHA!

I think some silly laughter angel SET ME UP for THAT one!

Live Life! Laugh Often! Whether you’re NUDE or NUD – uh I mean or NOT!
DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com

WELL! I just COULDN’T allow this soul to not be SUNG TO on their birthday, while dining out! *tee hee Super HA HA HELEN of LAFOLOT jumped out of her booth (okay, slowly slid out). I had on my: ME! t-shirt. I took one of my HA HA HELEN on a stick “STICK WITH LAUGHTER” items out of my purse as well as a SMILEY FACE bookmark.

I smiled and said, ‘I’m sorry to bother you (as I held up my GIFTS), but I heard it was your birthday and wanted to sing the HA HA Happy Birthday song to you! It turned out to be two, ‘grey haired women’ out having a fun birthday lunch – one treating the other.

Luckily! They both smiled. My intention had been to just give the gifts, sing my little ditty and let them be. Well! They started asking me all types of questions in excitement about what I did! The other woman didn’t want to be left out – so I got HER a Ha Ha Helen on a Stick and a bookmark! She took it ‘hungrily’ even though they had just eaten.

She told me she had COPD, asthma and Depression (as her eyes teared). I jumped in and said: Well, then! Let’s get you laughing! (I told her about the precaution of laughing and asthma – she noted she was OK with laughing.)

I explained the physical/medical benefits and started telling them about my TIME TO LAUGH gimmick: Looking at the clock at 7:07 and seeing it as upside down and LAUGH OUT LOUD, the 4:45 (Shh) quiet laugh, and the 3:34 (hEE) mid afternoon giggle. They both loved it and she was laughing and giggling. I got to hear about her bird bath, and rabbits in the yard, etc etc. Her birthday friend said: THANK YOU, ME! – I laughed.

I ended up giving them a LAFOLOT pamphlet I had on me as well as my FULL BELLY LAUGHTER – Free – donate food item event. Turned out the one woman lived nearby the event!

Sometimes I’m told I’m too forward which has caused me to not approach people as much. But when I TAKE THAT RISK and discover that I:

1) not only got to sing the HA HA HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG (they were surprised I knew all the HA HA words!) to the Birthday Girl!

but

2) got to help a woman, teary eyed over depression, have some HEALTHY LAUGHTER as DESSERT after the meal she bought to help her friend celebrate her birthday –

I find that I am doing the right thing. These moments are priceless – I keep them in my golden heart pocket – where they warm me when I’m feeling the cold effects of criticism.

My lesson – FOLLOW MY HEART. Never know when my heart will lead me to another soul in need.

LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!
Live Life in A-MAZE-MENT!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com

Someone had painstakingly taken the time to wrap a clear plastic straw cover around my head/mouth area and used red sauce to indicate blood dripping out of my neck. Then they had put it back on the AD board ledge. It was upsetting to say the least! The restaurant owner threw it out. We were meeting to organize a FULL BELL LAUGHTER – Food Bank collection event.

Well! Today was the opposite! After a FLUKE of a WONDERFUL opportunity to promote myself with a laughter wellness demo and 5 minute talk to my fellow chamber of commerce members at an A.M. Strategies meeting – the day just kept getting better!

I finished some of the FULL BELLY LAUGHTER promotional items (Press Release and POSTER) to take to THAI Palace and meet with the owner. When I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed there were at least 5 grey/silver cars parked in a row. As I parked ANOTHER grey/silver car had just pulled in!

Two women and a man got out. The one woman was wearing an ALL GREY dress! The guy had a grey/print shirt on! I said: What’s with all these GREY cars and GREY clothes, today! They laughed and nodded in agreement.

I have to note: Today is a GREY, overcast day but I LOVE IT! I haven’t had to run my A/C, the windows are open and the temp is a comfortable low 70s. At my meeting in the morning, TWO women both showed up with Black Shirts and Grey Pants!

Once I got into the restaurant, I noticed the owner/server was wearing a Black shirt and GREY pants! ANOTHER customer was wearing a BLACK shirt and GREY pants! I didn’t know if the weather had inspired the colors of the day, or lack, thereof!

AMAZINGLY! Remember the VooDoo HA HA Helen on a STICK? Well! Let me tell, ya! As I entered the restaurant, the one guy from the ‘grey’ car held the door open for me (THANK HIM VERY MUCH!). As I passed him, he called out: ‘IS THIS YOU!?’ He was pointing to another of my ‘untarnished’ HA HA Helen’s on a STICK’ AHAHAHA It is a printed photo of me wearing my tinsel deely bobber headband and holding a cheering flag. I’m wearing my LAFOLOT, Live Life! Laugh Often! t-shirt.

I tilted my head sideways and put on a big smile like in the photo. He said, is it you? I laughed and said: ‘WHADAYA THINK?’ He was thrilled! I gave him a Yellow, Smiley Face LAFOLOT Bookmark. I said: ‘Didn’t know you’d meet a local celebrity when you showed up here, today? Did ya?’ He said no, and laughed. I told him about the ‘defaced’ item from yesterday.

When I was getting read to leave, he and the woman in grey said: ‘YOU’RE NOT LEAVING ALREADY?’ I laughed. The ‘woman in grey’ said: I HAVE to tell you! Whenever my daughter and I come in here, I have to look and see what NEW items LAFOLOT has out on the AD board! She said they always make her smile, laugh and brighten her day.

I said: ‘THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU’VE MADE MY DAY!’ I told her about my motto: ‘A little kindness goes a long way.’ I said: ‘You’ve shown me a kindness today and BLOCKED out all the negative stuff from yesterday!

I told her about the ‘defaced’ HA HA Helen on a STICK –

She asked me my name. I jokingly said: HA HA HELEN! She said: I guess that makes me: SH SH SHERYL! I said: ‘OH! You have the QUIET LAUGH name!’ I then demonstrated the Quiet Laugh and told her what a great laugh it was to be named after! I told her it was very isometric and toning! She laughed and smiled and I gave her a Yellow, Smiley Face LAFOLOT bookmark.

So I always tell people I am a person of opposites. It may have been a GREY, OVERCAST, COOL DAY – BUT IT WAS ‘WAY OKAY’! It was totally FLIPPED around from the previous day!

A little kindness goes a long way …
LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!
HA HA Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT – ‘Stick with Laughter!’
www.lafolot.com

I headed out to my favorite Thai restaurant for lunch which causes me to drive through a quiet, shaded, stop-sign at every corner development. I came up a group of 5 people, standing around and leaning on the back flat-bead of a pick-up truck parked in their driveway. I couldn’t resist as I came to a proper STOP at the sign – rolled down my window and said: ‘YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT THE EMERGENCY BREAK ON, YOU WON’T HAVE TO ALL STAND AROUND IT HOLDING IT IN PLACE!’ They laughed and smiled! Thank goodness!

After lunch, I stopped at a Crowded, Heavily Traffic Grocery Store. There are stop signs on either side of the white-lined customer walkways going in and out of the store – but it is still intimidating.

I reached the walk-way into the store as an elderly couple was coming up on my left. I said: COME ON! STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! WE’LL CROSS TOGETHER! The wife laughed. Another woman was crossing with her cart from the other side, but a woman with a VERY LARGE CART-FULL of stuff was hesitantly looking from the store curb. I said: WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO BE YOUR CROSSING GUARD? She laughed and said: “I guess I SHOULD go while everyone else is!’ She made a run for it! ha ha

When the older couple and I got into the store entrance, there were only 3 ‘tiny’ carts and 3 oversized carts. I had wanted a ‘tiny’ cart but saw that the other two carts were WEDGED together. The older gentleman and I tried to pull it loose with team effort, but no luck. Then the older woman and I tried another method – tipping the carts upside down, but couldn’t pull them apart. While this was happening, another customer took my tiny cart! ahahaha The older couple felt so bad. I told them not to worry, I’d take a large cart – but – THE OLDER WOMAN WENT OUTSIDE AND FOUND ME ANOTHER SMALL CART, that another shopper had just released! Warms the heart when these things happen!

We entered the store with smiles on our faces and warm hearts as we had each shared a KINDNESS.

On my way to my car, I go to do another random act of kindness by cleaning up the carts spilling out into the parking lot driving lane. I pushed a bunch together and got them nestled into the cart storage area.

OH! and when I got into my car, the digital clock read 1:01pm that’s LOOK like LOL! Laugh Out Loud! So I did … have a healthy laugh!

So, feeling crapped on? Not by birds but by a negative encounter – DO A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS or DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! Turn your day around.

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often! and DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY!
www.lafolot.com

I was SO THRILLED that I was in a NON-MENOPAUSAL mood; because when I got to the store’s gas pumps, they were PACKED with cars lined up! I was SO THRILLED when I found a line with just one car ahead of me. The guy was filling about 5 plastic portable fuel containers; BUT I DIDN’T CARE! I had a SAFE SPACE in line. [in a menopausal mood, I wouldn't have handled this that well! So I was SO grateful!]

I turned off my car engine and saw a woman pull into the wait/line to the right of me. I had put on my CLOWN NOSE to see how many smiles/reactions I could get. The woman’s face had a ‘Map of Her Life’ on it. I felt she had EARNED every one of those wrinkles and GOOD FOR HER! She had the jaw line of the character BEAKER from the MUPPETS! I thought, I’ll bet she’d be a real character to talk to and meet! I could see her hands flying, the annoyed look on her face – almost HEAR the possible curse words and words of disgust coming out of her mouth. [this is how 'I' would have been if I were in a menopausal mood - again, I noted my gratitude to myself!]

So I had a long wait, but had fun focusing and mentally encouraging her to look my way, to her left. It took a while but – YES! She turned and looked!

AH HA! HA HA!! Wonderful! She laughed! She did a double take! She laughed some more shaking her head in amazement at me! YES! I had succeeded in helping someone else deal with the backed up line at the gas pumps!

Once done, I headed to Olive Garden for a snack. I said to a woman as she held the door for me: ‘I heard if you wear a clown nose, they give you a discount!’ She laughed. I told the two hostesses, ‘Don’t you get a dollar off if you wear a clown nose?’ Just then, a man walked up and said: ‘WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOUR EYES!’ I laughed out loud and so did the hostesses. I said, ‘He must be a professional clown to have come up with THAT line!’

So, I was SO SO glad I was in the right frame of mind and fun, calm emotional state to be able to PLAY with others who may have been having trouble dealing with the long lines and rush hour.

Here’s to earning KINDNESS points that will hopefully come back to me – next time I’m in a grumpy mood during a stressfull situation! DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY, even when you’re sitting at the fuel pumps!

Live Life! Laugh Often!
and carry a clown nose wherever you go!
Never know when you’ll need one to help out a fellow traveler in life!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION by: Helenoflafolot]

I had just finished making a SPECIALLY designed t-shirt for my niece who is on her Cross Country Team. I found out this past year, that it is abbreviated XC.

So, when she excitedly posted a message on Facebook about XC I was creatively inspired! I made a t-shirt for her that notes:

XCellent
XCiting
XCeptional

I placed the transfer on a grey/athletic t-shirt and had it with me in the car so I could get some lunch first, and then take it to the local post office.

Well, as we all know, our minds can wonder while driving; hence my Drive Yourself Happy campaign, to AWAKEN drivers. I get to a major intersection, and I start to ‘drift’. I suddenly look at the driver’s license plate on the car in front of me as the light turns green! It starts out with the first three letters:

EXC

How SYNCHRONISTIC and XCeptional, XCiting and XCellent was THAT!

Gotta LOVE the Snchronici-TEE!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Live Life! Laugh Often! and Drive Yourself Happy, Awake and Alert!
www.lafolot.com

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION by: Helenoflafolot]

Whenever I dislike a chore, I find something silly or fun to make it more bearable. For example, when I when I came in from ‘weed whacking’ the yard, just now; I could ‘smell’ that my cat had used the litter box. *pfew!

So, I went over to ‘scoop’ it out. My cat was following behind; they always like to investigate what I’m going to do with their litter box! ha ha

As I approached to do this ‘not so pleasant’ but ‘necessary’ chore – a CHEER popped into my head!

‘LET’S GO CLEAN THE BOX, LET’S GO!’ *clap clap clap
‘LET’S GO CLEAN THE BOX, LET’S GO!’ *clap clap clap
[it comes from a sports cheer: 'Let's go BIL-LEE Let's Go!' you insert whichever name fits at the moment - for the person about to SCORE!]

There I was, bending over, ready to scoop up cat poop and I’m LAUGHING at this CHEER that pops into my head!

When I was weed whacking a month ago, I shared how; after sweating and dealing with numb, aching arms – I started to LAUGH to relieve the stress by thinking up a Weed Whacking Laugh! Weed Whacka-ha ha ha ha haaaa

I’ve shared in the past, when I have to go grocery shopping [another chore I dislike] I make up a WORD out of the first letter of each item I need – so I remember my shopping list!

Write it down, you say! Oh, that’s so ‘been there, done that!’ ha ha ha
I like the non-sensical words I come up with.
This puts a smile on my face –

then I go to the store and start playing my SMILE CAMPAIGN GAME!

Got some CHORES to do? CHEER yourself through!
Any CHEER will DO! Woo! Hoo!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN! and CHEER-O-LOT Too! Yes! Yeah!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION by: Helenoflafolot]

I see no recession when it comes to the ability to give a Kindness or Compliment! They are PRICELESS and worth more than all the gold in the world!

While at a business networking mixer, yesterday morning, a gentleman mentioned he had my Helen of LAFOLOT Night at the Piano Bar CD in his car and listens to it frequently! He had won it as a door prize at a previous meeting. I told him: YOU’VE MADE MY DAY!

During the meeting, after we gave our 30 second introduction commercials – I led everyone in a ‘cheer’ to wake them up. This same gentleman gave me a PLUG, suggesting I start off all their meetings with that warm-up! He called me Ms. LAFOLOT! …once again MY DAY WAS MADE!

When I got home to meet some Warranty Repair men for my new Modular Home – they were so EXCELLENT at their jobs, they were very great at explaining everything and answering my questions – I let them know they were WONDERFUL and I COULD TELL they knew and enjoyed their work! When I expressed concern over an issue for which they were not responsible, they were more than willing to check it out for me. Turned out I HAD NO WORRIES – there was no issue. I told the man his KINDNESS was PRICELESS and more VALUABLE to me than he could imagine! I told him: YOU’VE MADE MY DAY!

I later received an e-mail from a new business contact who is honoring my talents by having me speak on Laughter Wellness at her Business Women’s organization. Icing on the cake is that she asked me to SING – in order to promote that part of my business – another KINDNESS!

As if that weren’t enough – she then asked if I’d SING at a photography studio business open house! CAN I TAKE ALL THESE KINDNESSES and COMPLIMENTS!

Then, I received an e-mail from a NEW FAN of my website! He noted he is 26 years old and found my website to be so positive and upbeat, that he has shared it with many of his friends! THE GIFT OF A KINDNESS AND COMPLIMENT! Wow! I e-mailed him and told him: YOU’VE MADE MY DAY!

I have had many ‘young’ souls – highschool and college become fans of my SMILE CAMPAIGN and my book ‘Life is a Song in the Key of Love’ about appreciating life in all its forms of expression. I am truly blessed!

I see NO RECESSION – there is such an ABUNDANCE of COMPLIMENTS and KINDNESS being shared!

At one of my ‘Laughter? Let’s Get Serious!’ talks to a low income community action council two years ago; I mentioned that YOU DON’T NEED MONEY TO GIVE A GIFT! I talked about a book I read: ‘Good Hearted Living’ by Steve Wilson It talks about giving the gifts of: Compliments, Kindness, Gratitude, Flexibility and Forgiveness. None of these cost money and they can be given in bushel baskets!

I see no recession. I am wealthy beyond my dreams with all these gifts.

Check your HEART POCKETS, I’m sure you’ll find some there!

THANK YOU for reading my blog and believing in my passion.

Highlighted Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living Life in A-MAZE-MENT!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION by: Helenoflafolot]

Have you ever watched television shows or movies where seniors just LET GO and let their INNER CHILD out! Well, not having kids, I have given myself permission to START EARLY!

I was sitting at Olive Garden Restaurant for lunch having just received my unsweetened iced tea and paper wrapped straw. I was seated next to a window and looking out into the open area seating. There was a table with three women. I’m ‘assuming’ a mother and her two highschool or early college age daughters.

The one girl put her partially unwrapped straw up to her mouth, with a mischievious grin on her face, as if to be ready to BLOW the paper off the straw, into the air – across to her sister. The mother was sitting inbetween the two.
The young woman didn’t follow through. It was like, I KNOW we did this as kids even though we weren’t allowed to, but I won’t really do it.

SO! I thought! THIS is a HA HA HELEN of LAFOLOT ‘permission to let your inner child out’ EMERGENCY!

Dun dun dun DAAAAAAAAAA! I had partially removed the paper from my straw.
I got up.
Walked over to their table with the straw up to my mouth.
BLEW.
and WHooooooooSH! the paper SWOOPED up into the air inbetween the women/girls as they looked at me.

I LAUGHED, SMILED and went back to my table – letting them there giggling, laughing and smiling.

WHO WAS THAT UN-MASKED WOMAN!

I got 3 of my SMILEY Face, Positive Statement, Bright Yellow LAFOLOT bookmarks out and walked them over to their table. I announced:

‘I figured if ‘I’ did it, YOU (the mischievious teen) wouldn’t get in trouble with mom!’ The mother looked up with a big smile and laughed.

HA HA Helen’s work is never done – never FEAR – HA HA HELEN’S HERE!

Live Life! Laugh Often!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION by: Helenoflafolot]