Knowing When You Shouldn't Celebrate

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

Saturday was Louisville's "Marti Gras" - The Kentucky Derby.

Derby time is party time in Louisville. Big time. Almost to
the point that if you're not celebrating, it can make you feel a
little lonely or left-out.

Not wanting to be on the outside this year, I tried a Derby
tradition: party hopping. My wife and I actually wrote a
schedule and went to three different Derby parties. The day was
fun (and long) and I was reminded of something very important
for humor beings to remember.

Amid all the noise-makers, great food, drink, friends, and
pageantry, I had a chance to talk with a wide variety of
people. One old friend confessed, during a quiet interlude,
that he was feeling really sad because his daughter was blaming
him for some things that weren't his fault. He, unfortunately,
wasn't in a great position to correct his daughter and just had
to let her go for now.

It occurred to us both how ironic that, amid Louisville's day of
festive revelry, my friend had no celebration going on inside of
him. Which led me to remember two important things:

1. Part of healthy humor is accepting yourself where and how
you are. Just as it's not good to cover bad feelings by
drinking too much, it's not a good idea to cover up feelings by
laughing either. Healthy humor allows us to know that we can
and will survive our feelings, but it does not mean we mask them
and pretend we feel differently.

Don't ever feel pressure to join the crowd and party just
because everyone else is!

2. No matter how happy we are and no matter how hard we're
celebrating, those celebrations are an inside job. Yes, it is
easier to party when those around us are doing likewise. But
our outer party is always a reflection of our inner joy because
no amount of celebration outside of us would cause us to join in
unless we didn't already have a celebration going on inside of
us.

Always give yourself the credit when you're celebrating - you're
the source of that joy, not your surroundings!

So what did all that mean for me on Derby Day? And what does it
mean for you today? If you don't feel like partying or
celebrating, trust your feelings and honor them. And if you do
feel like partying, feel good that your celebration is merely a
reflection of the joy you already possess in your soul.

I saw a little bit of both on Saturday. And my winning horse
had nothing to do with it!

Join Dr. Clifford Kuhn and Melanie Rudolph, MA for a Celebration
of Laughter for Health, Peace, and Stress Reduction!

Dr. Kuhn will present "HA HA HA: A Prescription for Reducing
Your Stress." This fun and interactive presentation will teach
you techniques for reducing your stress and implementing the
healing power of Laughter.

Melanie Rudolph will give a brief overview of Laughter Yoga
International and how it started in 1995 with just 5 people
laughing in a park in Mumbai, India; by 2011 it has spread to
6,000 Social Laughter Clubs in 65 countries. Melanie will be
leading Laughter Yoga exercises and sharing ways to add more
laughter into your daily life.

WHERE: Institute for Integrative Medicine

205 Townepark Circle, Suite 100

Louisville, KY 40243

DATE: Wednesday, May 25, 2011

TIME: 7:00 -8:30 pm

COST: $10, to be collected at door

RSVP: Melanie Rudolph, 502-424-2252,

wellnessforyou@gmail.com

OR

Kim Evans, 502-253-4554

Read Our Featured Article

In this article, Dr. Kuhn explains why most people almost never
lose the weight they want or need to, and how to use the Fun
Factor to permanently keep weight off. You will realize that with
a little willingness and discipline you need never worry about
having to lose weight again. Lose your extra weight and never gain
it back because Dr. Kuhn's weight loss method works!

Your FREE Gifts!

Click Here to Get Your Free Gifts!

Some Humor to Help You Smile

Alfred Hitchcock

"You don't need any brains to grow up. It just happens to
ya."

Gilbert Bates (on Leave it to Beaver)

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"