We need you on December 13th: 4:00ET!
I want to give a big welcome to my friend Monnet Zubieta who is asking us to join her this holiday season in spreading more laughter in this world. Monnet ran her own Laughter Flash with The Levity Project in Sacramento in October. As a Laughter Yoga Teacher, Monnet is well aware of the powerful effects of laughter and seeing what happened when she took it to the streets inspired Monnet to create the idea for a new Laughter Flash: Giving the Gift of Laughter. As much as the holiday season is meant to be filled with joy, celebration, and sparkly love, there are times when the energy gets a little stressed, rushed, and harried. Monnet’s idea is to help us remember the true spirit of this beautiful time of year by bringing some laughter to her nearby shopping mall-what better place, right?!
Here is my interview with Monnet about her event:
How did you come up with the idea for Give The Gift Of Laughter?
A friend commented that although she does not laugh at my regular laughter club at the Sebastapol Farmer’s Market in CA,she laughs just watching us because laughter is so contagious. She suggested laughing in a public place during the holidays. I told her about The Levity Project and suggested we do a Laughter Flash at the mall to bring laughter and levity to the holiday shoppers. Thinking about people stressing out, buying presents is when the name “Give the Gift of Laughter” came up.
What is it you plan to do?
We are going to get a group of laughers together, decorate ourselves, walk through the mall Laughing with banners “Give the Gift of Laughter”. We’ll pass out cards that say “Give the Gift of Laughter”! We will split up into 2 groups. One will start at one end of the mall and the other group will start at the other end. Then we will meet in the center and greet each other with joy, levity and laughter.
What effect do you think it will have?
I think it will make shoppers happier. I think some will smile, some will watch and laugh, and some will join in and laugh. I think some will take the “Give the Gift of Laughter Card” And some will take the card home, read the back and go to our websites and learn more about the therapeutic benefits of laughter and how to laugh for no reason. Some will come to a laughter club. And I hope it will make them think about what will bring them and their loved ones more joy this holiday season.
What inspires you to do these public laughter events with The Levity Project?
I love to laugh. My mission is bringing more joy to my life and the lives of others. It is fun to encourage others to go out and laugh in public, it is rewarding to see serious people going through their day lighten up when they see people laughing.
What is your connection with The Levity Project?
I met Katie West at the All American Laughter Conference Sept. 2009. She organized a Laughter Flash while we
Monnet at The Levity Project: CO Laughter Flash
were there. We had about 50 people laughing through the streets of Estes Park, CO. I was inspired to start doing Laughter Flashes with The Levity Project back in California. I did my first event at the Capital Building in Sacramento. I think it is a great way to share the joy and get people interested in laughing for no reason.
How does this relate to what you do for a living?
I am a Certified Laughter Teacher. I lead laughter clubs, facilitate laughter training, do laughter coaching, speak about laughter at events and host More Joy, The Laughter Show on channel 1 in the San Francisco Bay Area. I also teach communication classes at Santa Rosa Junior College. I use laughter to help students manage their fear of public speaking.
So everyone, let’s join Monnet and get laughter flowing this holiday season!
Here is what you can do:
DATE:On DECEMBER 13th
TIME: 1:00PT, 3:00CT, 4:ooET
WHAT:Gather in a Shopping Place of some sort, a mall, a downtown, a main street(I live in Maine-there is only one mall in the state)
Get a group of people together and Laugh for 5-10 minutes together. You can shake hands, wave at people, give high fives.
A Laughter Flash is bringing the spirit of laughter into your life and by doing so changing the lives of others.
Create Change this Holiday Season. Let’s Laugh Together!
And as always send me your videos at katie(at) thelevityproject(.) com
For more info about Monnet or Give the Gift of Laughter
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Katie,
Your laughing is contagious! It just continues to spread!
This will be amazing and fun and life-changing! So, to Monnet: keep on laughing, and keep on being the change you wish to see!
This is awesome! I love the idea, and learned something new today (that there’s only one mall in Maine, and I guess I’ve been to it!).
Good luck and good laughing! What a wonderful gift!
I like that the laughing group will split in two, start on either end of the mall, then meet in the middle. I bet that there will be some strangers who join in.
I hope it’s a huge success. Keep giving that gift of laughter to everyone you can.
This sounds like so much job. With a job like yours you guys are going to live forever!
Happy laughing!