June Enjoyment Report

Publishers: Phil & Susan Sorentino

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http://www.humorconsultants.com

©Humor Consultants, Inc. 2002

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The most wasted of all days is one without laughter...
e e cummings

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Please forward this E-Zine to anyone you know who would benefit
from our Customized Enjoyment Performance Systems.

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Speaking of Laughter

2. Laugh 'Til It Helps!

3. Is Procrastination Keeping You From Getting Ahead?

4. What's The Biggest Nation In The World?

5. Want To Reduce Stress?

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1. Speaking of Laughter
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National Geographic, May 2001

Why is it that babies can laugh long before they can talk? The laughing mechanism, says researcher Robert R. Provine of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, might actually be a remnant of the earliest primate communication and not related to speech at all. "Laughter is a tool to study vocal evolution," he says, pointing out that chimpanzees laugh too—though in a manner much different from the universal human "ha."

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2. Laugh 'Til It Helps
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Did You Know . . . that Phil Sorentino is a Certified Laughter Leader???

If you would like to learn more about how we are using "Laughter Exercises" in our programs, feel free to contact us.

Here are five Things Laughter Clubs Do:

1. Prevent "hardening of the attitudes"

2. Release negative emotions such as anger, anxiety & loneliness

3. Improve enthusiasm for other programs

4. Improve morale & increase cheerfulness through a sense of belonging

5. Improve health through motor & breathing exercise

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3. Is Procrastination keeping you from getting ahead?
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The Columbus Dispatch

(ARA) — Procrastination, otherwise known as creative avoidance or making excuses, is one of the most powerful habits preventing you from developing your truest potential.

We all have hopes and dreams for a successful future. Some of us even set goals and objectives that we plan to meet. Regardless of where we fit in that spectrum, there are always opportunities to get distracted and create excuses that prevent us from reaching our goals.

Inspirational speaker Peggy L. McNamara, author of the No More Excuses series, offers some tips to push you into action:

The first step to overcoming creative avoidance is to recognize it.

Take a few moments to identify one objective you've had for yourself, but haven't found the time to fit into your schedule. Even though you know this task would be helpful to you, your career or personal life, you still keep it on the "back burner." Deep down, we all have things that we avoid to some extent. The longer you've been avoiding an issue, the longer it will take to recognize your avoidance.

Ask yourself "Why have I been putting this thing off?"

It is crucial that you force yourself to set your emotions aside and look at this situation as logically as possible. Writing things down can help with that process. This is not the place to judge, condemn or criticize. Write down the reasons for not acting on this thought or plan. If you discover that your life has changed, and therefore this goal no longer fits, then dispose of it before it gets in the way of anything else in your life. However, if you know there is something you really want to make happen, figure out what is stopping you from taking the first step. Without this knowledge, creative avoidance will thrive.

Creative avoidance is simply letting your fears, doubts or inhibitions get in the way.

Whether it is fear of failure, success, looking stupid, vulnerability, all the work it will take to make this happen, how others will react or just general lack of belief in yourself, fear can and will get in the way of your dreams. Procrastination is simply a way to cover up your fears about a certain goal. Sure, some things are boring and may be put off such as organizing a closet or cleaning out the garage. But this is about things such as starting a new business, resolving a conflict or adjusting your lifestyle to be more positive. Change is not easy. It is common to create a negative picture in our minds of a goal we have not yet acted on. The key is to discover what is at the root of your procrastination.

Don't let fear prevent you from fulfilling your potential.

Ask yourself the following questions: "What is the worst that could happen if I take the first step toward this goal?" Or, "Will I regret it if I keep setting this task aside?" The answers to those two questions can be your driving force as well as give you the courage to move ahead.

Last, but not least, find someone to whom you will be accountable.

Most of us feel more committed when we answer to someone. If you are not comfortable with this idea, then find someone who will encourage you when you need it. We all have moments of doubt and it is important to have people we can talk with to give us a hand.

Overcoming creative avoidance is a life-long commitment. It is crucial to accept that every day brings new challenges, obstacles and opportunities. The key is to be able to identify when we are avoiding something due to lack of courage.

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4. What's The Biggest Nation in the World?
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"Procrastination is the biggest nation," Phil says.

Most people know they have a tendency to procrastinate, but they routinely underestimate how much they do so.

Research published in the May issue of the journal, Psychological Science, says people set "suboptimal" deadlines for themselves and would dramatically improve performance if they instead sought lifelines set by someone else. In a study that should be music to the ears of every boss, psychologist Dan Ariely at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said people performed best when they were given evenly spaced lifelines and monitoring.

"People need to figure out some external pre-commitment mechanisms," he said. "You could give a friend $50 and say, 'If I don't finish this (task), don't give it back to me.'"

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5. Want To Reduce Stress?
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Phil stresses to reduce stress — drink more water. It is the easiest way to increase the quality of your life.

Did you ever think about the preservatives in food? Preservatives make the food so the germs won't eat it. Drinking water is a great way to cleanse your body of these preservatives.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

Here are the facts:

1. 75% to 80% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half of the world population)

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.

5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

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