Two Simple Steps to Unlimited Humor

By Cliff Kuhn, M.D.
The Laugh Doctor
"It all starts with a SMILE"

Let's discuss one thing I know is perfect...you. One of my
favorite Fun Commandments, Laugh with Yourself, reinforces the
notion that you are perfect just as you are. Warts and all! In
fact, laughing with yourself confirms that your perfection
includes your contradictions and foibles.

But how do you laugh with yourself? I'll teach you in two
simple steps.

Step One - Accept Your Powerlessness

The key to this step is the concept of acceptance, perhaps the
most misunderstood word in the English language. Acceptance
doesn't mean approval or endorsement, it merely means
acknowledging things as they are.

Perfectionism, the deadly opposite of perfection, is rigid and
unyielding, so acknowledging the things that are beyond your
power to control sets you free! And you love yourself too much
to be a perfectionist, right?

Step Two - Start Identifying Those Things over Which You Have No
Control

What are the things over which you have no control? That's
easy! Everything except YOUR own attitudes, actions, and
ideas. Everything else and everyone else is not under you
control.

Step Two frees you from your unrealistic expectations of needed
and trying to control everything. Now you can focus your
attention on choices that will increase your personal
effectiveness, rather than spin your wheels trying to get the
world to turn your way.

Step three, by the way, is to go out and live your life today!

You'll soon find it difficult to take yourself too seriously. My
research has shown that people who love and accept themselves on
a deep level are also especially adept at laughing with, but not
at, themselves. Coincidence? No way!

The good news is that, just as accepting/loving yourself helps
you laugh with yourself, laughing with yourself perpetuates and
accelerates accepting/loving yourself. It's a wonderful snowball
effect. And we can all use more self-acceptance!

Please join me at the 2009 Annual Conference of the Association
for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, April 2-5, 2009 at the
Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The theme of the conference
is "Healthy Humor Hitting the Wellness Jackpot." There will be
lots of great presentations (they've even asked me to speak on
humor and addictions) and lots of fun with some really terrific
people. You can get more information and sign up by going to
www.aath.org. I hope to see you there.

Your Attention Please!

Become a happiness machine today!

Announcing Dr. Kuhn’s new book, “It All Starts with a SMILE!” This
is his greatest work yet! Packed with 52 Smile Strategies
(one for every week of the year) guaranteed to send
your health and success over the top. Go to http://www.natural-
humor-medicine.com/new-book.html to get a peek at the beautiful
book.

Read Our Featured Article

You have a ready reservoir of self esteem and self respect - your
sense of humor. And you are also fortunate to have a veritable
medicine chest full of resources that super-charge your sense of
humor. In this article, Dr. Kuhn shows you how to put your self
respect into overdrive.

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Some Humor to Help You Smile

Rita Rudner

"I don't have a baby, but I still book a baby-sitter. I tell
her to check on the kid after a half hour or so. Then when I
return I go, 'Escaped?! Well, give me fifty bucks and we'll
call it even.' "

Harry Hill

Please - do your friends a favor! Send them
this newsletter or tell them to sign up for it
themselves by going to "http://www.natural-
humor-medicine.com/Fun_times.html" Let's
spread the happiness virus together!

Cliff Kuhn, M.D.
The Laugh Doctor
7406 Wesboro Road
Louisville, KY 40242
"It all starts with a SMILE"