Hahahappy moments at the workplace

Laughter signifies togetherness! It can help revitalize relationships in the workplace and strengthen bonds among employees. Due to too much stress, the workplace nowadays has the tendency to become very serious. To help their 100 employees counter such a situation, Carissa de Mesa, VP, Human Relations Department, Fortune Life Insurance, requested for a Laughter Yoga session for their wellness program, with the theme: “Fortune Life Securing Tomorrow… Today.” After about a year of making our schedules meet, finally we did it last January 31.

At the start of the LYoga session, I asked who among the participants wanted to live to 100 years old and beyond, and most of them raised their hands. So I told them to join the Laughter Yoga Club, and narrated what my cardiologist, Dr. Bingloy Diaz of Makati Medical, said: My heart is like that of a 25-year-old. This made the participants clap admiringly and gleefully. My doctor added that I would live beyond 100 years old. That elicited a loud approving laughter from the participants.

When I saw how Raygar Abuel, Fortune Life VP, Executive Management Department, laughed, I requested that he partner with me as we demonstrated the different kinds of laughter. He was a natural! He gave it all to the LYoga session and immensely enjoyed himself. His contagious laughter, combined with mine, really put the house down. Everyone kept roaring with belly laughter. I asked Mr. Abuel to be a LYoga leader and put up a Laughter Yoga Club himself. A happy job awaits him when he retires. 

The numerous high-tech inventions and gadgets all around us unfortunately bring high pressures, high tensions to our modern world. Stress levels are higher than ever before! Many people experience enormous burnouts and stress in the workplace. There is a misconception that serious people are more responsible and more productive. The truth is that the more productive people are those who treat their work seriously, BUT take themselves lightly. 

Many methods have been introduced to reduce stress levels in the workplace, but Laughter Yoga is the most cost-effective, less time-consuming, and is the only single routine exercise which can effectively reduce physical, mental, and emotional stress simultaneously, and give emotional balance. Why not? When feeling stressed and tense, one can just burst into silent laughter. If not possible, you can simply go to the washroom and laugh out loud … to drive the stress and tension away. Follow up the belly laughter with deep breathing exercises and pronto, one instantly becomes calm, relaxed, and de-stressed,   positive and happy, right at that moment!                  

Mr. Abuel and myself demonstrated one of   my favorites, the hearty laughter, which is good for the mind, body, and spirit. In a jiffy, it can make one feel better after just a few rounds of doing it.   Extending the arms upward and tilting the chin upward a bit while laughing send the blood flowing faster to the brain.

We did other kinds of laughter that elicited almost endless laughter from the participants. When I asked what the participants were laughing about, for a moment they were startled. Yes! They were laughing and jubilant for no reason at all!   Ah! The wonder and magic of Laughter Yoga!

Companies abroad which introduced LYoga sessions to their employees, have reported a happier workplace, increased efficiency, better communication, increased sales and productivity, creativity and better teamwork, decrease in illness and absenteeism, and reduced employee turnover. Remember, “people who laugh together, work better together!”

Below are some reactions of the participants:

• Ann Cuadra: The Laughter Yoga session was good. Ms. Estavillo handled the participants very well. Highly recommended to other groups.

• Carisa De Mesa: It was a positive experience!

• Evelyn Carada: Great stress-buster!

• Angela Mayor: A good way to get rid of the day’s stresses. Definitely, I learned several useful information.

• Raygar Abuel: Hahaha, I really enjoyed myself!

• Jem Nocelo: Laughter Yoga is a one-of-a-kind learning meditation experience.

• Darren Fuelles: I never thought that healing oneself and learning how to have a positive outlook in life could be this much fun! Ms. Estavillo really has a one-of-a-kind approach in carrying on with her advocacy.

• Cocoy Nepomoceno: A very refreshing experience!

• Ricky Cornista: A great way to relieve stress!

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Let’s laugh to a healthy, happy, positive us! To laugh, visit: www.youtube.com/lycphohohaha. For more info, visit www.laughteryogaphils.com and e-mail laughteryogaclub.phils@gmail.com.