LAFOLOT

I had the opportunity to ‘take a moment’ at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs PA (Central Pennsylvania), today.

I slowly approached a wooden bench, near some ducks sleeping at the waters edge. They had their heads tucked into their wings. I was successful, they continued to relax.

As I sat there, enjoying the sunlight reflecting on the water ripples, made by the ducks and geese navigating the water – I had to smile.

I listened to the variety of sounds coming from the geese and the ducks. Every so often, a goose would let out a Phyllis Diller (comic) type laugh. Hehhhhh Hehhhhhh Hehhhhh I ‘HAD’ to laugh!

Every so often, a duck would let out a ‘chatter-type’ laugh, as it vocalized and pecked for food on the water surface.

After a while, it got to be quite comical! Since I am a certified, trained Laughter Therapist/Leader with the World Laughter Tour, Co. – I felt it only NATURAL to ‘take the lead’ from the FOWLS (birds) and join in on the NATURAL LAUGHTER CLUB!

The goose would start its laugh – hehh hehhh hehhh and I would repeat!
The duck would start its laugh – hehhehheh, hehhehheh and I would repeat!

I naturally started to LAUGH OUT LOUD at the beauty, wonder and naturally healthy silliness of it all! GUFFAW!

All this time, I was looking for places to hold Laughter Clubs and frustrated when folks wouldn’t show – and here it was – right in front of me, naturally *HEE HEE HEE

I have to tell you, those BIRDS of a FEATHER do FLOCK together! They also know how to get together and laugh and have a good time!

I’m so glad they accepted me into their LAUGHTER CLUB! LAUGHTER, it’s NOT just FOR THE BIRDS!

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT … in gratitude!

What a wonderful gift I was given when finishing my grocery shopping, this morning, and heading to my vehicle!

I dislike grocery shopping, especially if I need to buy heavy items. I purposely make small shopping trips throughout the week, to get out and socialize, and lighten the load!

I always ask for help, when needed. I feel it’s a healthy thing, and it gives others the joy of offering the assistance or kindness! I got help putting a heavy item into my grocery shopping cart.

When I was exiting the store and heading to my car, I had just missed the parking lot cart gatherer who could have helped me lift the item into my Subaru Outback Hatchback. Luckily! A distinguished looking gentleman, exiting his SUV was walking towards me! “Would you mind helping me lift this item into my hatchback?” I asked.

He got a big smile on his face and was MORE than willing to help! He then said: ‘My son and I always waved and smiled back at you when you were at the Thai Palace parking lot on Carlisle Pike!’

I tend to forget that I have my WWW.LAFOLOT.COM LIFE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN! bumper display on the passenger side door of my car. I also have the HA-HAHA license plate and my LAFOLOT.COM magnetic business sign on the driver’s side door. I guess he had NOTICED!

I said: ‘Wow! Thank you so much! You really MADE MY DAY by mentioning that!’ I said: ‘I really appreciate your sharing that with me!’ I let him know a little more about what I do, the WE DO! (Worldwide, Evolved Do-Gooders Organization!) I had just started, and told him he was NOW A MEMBER due to the KINDNESS he had just shown me! *hee hee The other funny thing was, I hadn’t done that ‘sitting along side the road’ for almost two years, and HE REMEMBERED!

I gave him one of my LAFOLOT Bookmark Business cards and he noted he was going to check it out.

I have to say, LIFE gives you UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS when – ironically – you LEAST EXPECT IT! HA HA!

I think anyone that is PASSIONATE about their business or career needs to hear, occassionally, that they are making an impact or are NOTICED!

Over the years, Sally Field’s line at one of the awards shows: ‘You like me! You really like me!’ has been joked about.

Being a new business owner who took a LEAP OF FAITH, left a lucrative, safe job and stepped out to do more with her life, to impact the world, sometimes you want to just toss it all and go back to the safety of a 9 to 5 job.

Then … when you least expect it – you get that ANGEL that magically walks across your path and tells you KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING – SOMEONE NOTICED YOU, AND YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES!

In Gratitude for the COMPLIMENT and KINDNESS I received today,

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM
Thanks! I NEEDED THAT!

Nature and children are the best teachers!

I was sitting in a window seat at a local SUBWAY owned by Kathy George, a business networking colleague. A larger size fly had unfortunately gotten drawn in and trapped indoors. The fly was frantically, trying to figure out WHY it couldn’t FLY AWAY as it walked, buzzed, flitted around the full, glass window.

It fell onto its back and frantically buzzed, on the window ledge next to me. I felt badly, for it. I gave it a couple nudges to help get it upright and it jumped back onto the window. Once again, not realizing freedom was on the other side.

I had an AH! HA! moment a few years back at age 49. I went from FEARING insects to appreciating life in ALL its forms of expression. I wanted to give this fly the FREEDOM to live out its life outside, instead of walking in a confused state, up and down the window. I tried 3 times to get it to fall into an empty Chip Bag I had on my table. But, it caused the fly to panic more, buzz excitedly. I wanted to put it in the bag and take it to the door to let it fly free. I decided to let it go, rather than to cause it more stress.

I asked myself. WHAT am I learning from this? The window with light streaming through, showing the outside – is a FALSE REALITY? Do I need to change my view of things and situations in life? I then thought, ‘things aren’t always as they seem’. The fly was teaching me a lesson. If the fly could just let go of the notion that this light, view was its way to move forward, it could fly around and possibly end up outside, next time someone entered.

The next day, I went to the same location for lunch, taking a seat in the same spot. I looked down and to the left and my friend, the fly, was dead. I felt deeply for this life/soul that hadn’t gotten to enjoy the great outdoors, finishing its life frantically walking up and down a FALSE REALITY of light streeming through the window glass.

I mourned the death of this fly, as I sat there, and blessed its soul for having lived and taught me a valuable lesson.

Then, a mother and her little toddler girl came walking across the parking lot to enter the SUBWAY. The little girl had on cute, pink, basketball sneakers. As they entered, I announced with a SMILE – I LOVE YOUR SNEAKERS! The mother said to the little girl: ‘What do you say?’ The little girl said: THANK YOU! Then she said to me: ‘THE SUN IS AWAKE!’ (It was in toddler talk, so she repeated it a couple times and the mom helped me to translate.)

The little girl was very excited about telling me that the sun was shining, the rain was gone from the day before, and it was a beautiful, sunshiny day. So after she repeated THE SUN IS AWAKE several times, she then noted: The MOON WAS ASLEEP! Yes, she repeated this several times!

I smiled, thanked her for the wonderful information she had given me, and said: I BET YOU’LL MAKE A GREAT WEATHER FORECASTER or ASTRONOMER when you grow up! The mom thanked me and smiled.

I then sat there AH! MAZED! Like the FLY, the little toddler girl was giving me the same message: ‘THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM!’ No, the sun wasn’t awake and the moon wasn’t asleep, but in HER EYES, that’s how it seemed.

I say I am an OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEER, because I’ve learned to look at LIFE and its SITUATIONS with a PHresh (Fresh) Outlook! Feeling down, feeling blue, how does the WORLD LOOK TO YOU? It’s my constant message to myself and others. It’s ALL in HOW you LOOK at it!

I had been feeling frustrated with my condominium not selling, my finances on a tight leash, and working 3 flexible, parttime jobs. My oldest sister Dolly in a nursing home at an early age due to being hit by a drunk driver at age 21 – permanently brain damaged (now 64); and not being respected. My mom in hospice, frustrated with her situation. But the people I’m meeting and the experiences I’m having on this journey are very interesting. If this life experience, seeming like terrible struggles to me at the moment, wouldn’t be happening; I would have met the people I have gotten the chance to meet and possibly help.

It’s all helped me to see LIFE with a PHresh Outlook.

So I sit in humble appreciation for the message from THE FLY and the Little Toddler Girl – that now allows me to FLY FREE!

Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM
Live Life! Laugh Often!
Look Out! It’s Life! From a PHresh Outlook!

One of the many gifts of life, is to hear/feel the purr of a cat as they appreciate your attention!
My cat, Kitty, is currently walking across my arms and desk as I try to type! PURRfect!

NOTICE ME! APPRECIATE ME! She is saying … (OK – it’s a SCENT and ownership thing, but IT’S ALL IN HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, NO?) YES!

What a purrfectly, purriceless day I have had so far! I stopped at a business associate’s KATHY GEORGE’S SUBWAY at Windsor Park to be serviced exquisitely by familiar, friendly staff! Thanks to CHRIS for making my favorite, flat bread sandwich PURRFECTLY!

While there, a friendly, not afraid to dance to the music customer, noted that he was a teacher and gets his kids to dance with him! As a result, I got to ‘work it’ and ‘network’ by telling him, and demonstrating to him, my Have a Great D.A.Y. (Dance And Yodle) uplift your mood movement! He appreciated it, I gave him two of my LAFOLOT, Yellow Bookmarks/Business Cards! How PURRfect! A Possible Program may be scheduled!

I then headed over to Hampden Center Plaza where I found a PPTP! (Purrfect Place To Park!) next to the DOLLARTREE where I buy my ‘Adult Professional Stress Reliever Tools’. Okay, they are pinwheels to some, but it’s ALL IN HOW YOU LOOK AT THEM! Luckily! They were back in stock after the winter! The friendly, helpful manager/cashier took care of me PURRfectly, gave me further information about getting my BALLET GIRL RHINO TOY – video out on the DOLLARTREE site! I told him how I am improvisational, and to prove it, I bought 3 items from Dollartree and made a LEARNING LESSON-AWARENESS video out of them! It goes with the theme of my book: ‘Life is a Song in the Key of Love’ about appreciating life in all its forms of expression!

When leaving the parking lot, I saw a Purrsonalized License Plate: SMYLE How Purrfect was that?
Going with my LAFOLOT Drive Yourself Happy! motivational method!

When I got home, I checked my mailbox to find an early birthday card from a friend. Friends are PURRFECTLY PURRICELESS! My friend, Dona, had sent me a card noting: ‘Keep in Mind Stressed is Desserts Spelled Backwards!’ How PURRfect was THAT to go with my OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEERING lessons on seeing LIFE from a PHresh Outlook! It’s ALL in how you look at it!

When I opened the card, I had a HEALTHY LAUGH OUT LOUD! She had sent a refrigerator magnet with a PURRFECTLY STERN, GRUMPY ‘appearing’ cat with the caption: ‘This IS my happy face…’

How PURRfect to go with my story of how my SMILE CAMPAIGN started, with people assuming I was mad or grumpy just because of my normal facial expression!

A PURRfectly PURRiceless day full of beautiful SERVICE, NETWORKING and PURRecious, PURRiceless friends!

May you have the kind of day that makes you want to PURRRRRR.

Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.COM
Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
It’s ALL in HOW you LOOK at it…

I teach what I need to learn, I share because I care. I don’t DO Christmas. At least not just ‘once during the year’ – I believe in LIVING LIFE in the SPIRIT of the SEASON.

I don’t believe in the once-a-year stress, mega-shopping, mega-debt, shock of seeing family members where one can’t relate and adjust, where addicts get into their mega-use to avoid it all, etc.
NOW for my OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEERING approach … AH! HA! HA HA!

I BELIEVE in LIVING LIFE! LAUGHING OFTEN!
I BELIEVE in LIVING in the SEASON and SPIRIT of Christmas year round! How does THAT SOUND?

My laughter leader trainer, Dr. Steve Wilson, wrote a wonderful book called: ‘GOOD-HEARTED LIVING’. We’ve seen these values and traits written and spoken about many times over: COMPLIMENTS, FLEXIBILITY, GRATITUDE, KINDNESS, FORGIVESS, and having fun and relaxing (CHOCOLATE).

I don’t DO Christmas … but I did awake this morning to the EXPECTATION, APPRECIATION of a BEAUTIFUL NEW DAY! I didn’t run out to find a tree with wrapped packages… I found the SUN streaming through my bedroom window! YES! A new PHresh Day! A new, PHresh Outlook on Life!

What a GIFT, this NEW day, this NEW start to a NEW outlook. ‘Pick myself up, dust myself off, start all over again!’ as the song says.

I get to LIVE LIFE! in AH! MAZEMENT! Each day I get to practice GOOD-HEARTED LIVING! I can awake to realize a NEW FORGIVENESS!

I look out my window as I prepare my healthy breakfast filled with GRATITUDE and see the MIRACLE OF LIFE as BIRDS flitter from branch to branch.

I get to PRACTICE this SPIRIT OF THE SEASON on a MOMENT to MOMENT basis … living in the GIFT of the PRESENT … constantly seeing a NEW SURPRISE … a NEW LESSON … a REASON to be GRATEFUL!

I get to EXCUSE, FORGIVE, RELEASE a minor irritation by a fellow DRIVER or SHOPPER when I am out-and-about.

I get to PRACTICE ‘A Little Kindness…’ and live in AH! MAZING! EXPECTATION of each new occurrence and miracle in my life!

Why only do this for a brief time each year? LIVE LIFE IN AH! MAZEMENT! LIVE LIFE! with EXPECTATION! on a moment to moment basis. LIVE, LIVE, LIVE IN the SPIRIT of the SEASON!

No need to wait for ‘once a year’ to SPEND TIME WITH THE KIDS, or a MISSED family member to BAKE SOME COOKIES or make some Ginger Bread Houses. It’s all about the SPECIAL QUALITY TIME … be creative! This translates to sandcastles and group gardening projects.

No need to wait for the ‘HOLIDAY SEASON’ to make donations or take food to a needy family.

No need to wait for the Holiday Season to take some time for YOURSELF, to ‘take a ME-DAY’ from work and CELEBRATE THE GIFT OF LIFE!

As MAME said: ‘We need a Little Christmas, right this very minute …’ – in life, on a moment to moment basis … living in the moment, in the MIRACLE of each new day and minute … seeing the JOY, LOVE, MAGNIFICENCE around us.

The SPIRIT of the SEASON is about:
EXPECTANCY,
BEING IN THE MOMENT
GRATITUDE and THANKS
FORGIVING
Being a little KIND, a little FLEXIBLE
Enjoying those TREATS
Spending time with someone
SHARING those GIFTS …

Play the HA HA HELEN SMILE CAMPAIGN - GAME!, DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY!, take TIME 2 LAUGH … LIVE LIFE LIKE IT’S The Christmas Season!

THAT’S THE SPIRIT! L I V E IT! and share a Healthy Laugh or Smile while you’re at it!

Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com – OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEER, Hear! Here!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
A little kindness goes a long way …

I was inspired to write this after seeing the non-stop flow of: COMPLIMENTS and KINDNESS presented to me, yesterday.

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]