Laugh More, Stress Less and Enjoy Success

by Steve Rizzo

It seems like whenever I’m in a hurry to get somewhere, anything can happen, and it usually does. I can’t tell you how often I notice a stain on my shirt or a broken shoelace.  Sometimes I can’t find my car keys, or I notice the gas tank is near empty. Boy, does life seem stupid sometimes. If I allow even one of these annoying moments to try my patience, it could set me off for the rest of the day. In the end, all it takes is one annoyance to influence another one, and then another, and so on. This domino effect can be devastating, but when I recognize it for what it is and say to myself, “This is a test, and I will pass it and learn from it,” I set myself up for a happier, more productive day both professionally and personally. Here’s where humor can really be a difference maker.

One time, Gina and I were running late for an important dinner engagement with a corporate client and I couldn’t find my glasses. I tore the entire house apart looking for them.  The more I looked, the more aggravated I became, throwing items around and stalking around the house like a mad man. I noticed Gina was sitting in the living room chair shaking her head with a smirk on her face. Finally, I said, “Why don’t you help me look instead of just sitting there?” She asked, “You want me to help?”

Miraculously controlling my temper I said, “Yes! If you don’t mind!”

“OK,” she said. “I’ll help. Why don’t you check your face?”

Of course, I had been wearing them the whole time! I couldn’t believe it. At that instant, I found myself in the middle of two conflicting emotions. I could feel my bad mood escalating. A part of me was angry at Gina for letting me search the entire house when she knew we were going to be late for the dinner. This could have easily turned into an argument that would have set the tone for the rest of the evening.
But something inside me knew what the consequences would be if I held onto the anger.  o, when I looked at Gina, who was trying with all her might to refrain from laughing, I decided to go with the positive emotion and began to laugh too. I looked at Gina and said, “Oh yeah. Right where I left them. You’re never going to let me live this one down are you?” As we were leaving, Gina noticed I was jiggling the keys in my hand.

“Now,” she said, “If you can only find your car keys we might make it in time for dessert!”

We laughed all the way to the restaurant as we recalled some of the more ridiculous things I had done in the past. Laughter put us both in a relaxed, positive mood, which set the tone for an enjoyable and very successful evening.

It is amazing the power we derive from stepping outside our emotions of the moment and giving ourselves permission to make a shift and view them from a humorous perspective. But you don’t have to be a comedian, armed with an arsenal of rapid-fire funny remarks or wise cracks at your disposal to give your Humor Being the opportunity to express itself.

What’s important is not necessarily to be funny, but rather allowing yourself to see the funny in a stressful or challenging situation. This is a habit anyone can master. The more you challenge yourself to see the humor during adverse times, the more your Humor Being will become a part of who you are. The more you Humor Being becomes a part of who you are, the more you will be able to enjoy your life.

So, when do you need to tap into your Humor Being? When you become aware that your emotions are veering out of control. Awareness is the key that will set you free from the wrath of negative emotions of any kind. If you’re not aware something is wrong you won’t know you’re heading in the wrong direction. How do you determine they’re heading in the wrong direction? Stop, take a deep breath and ask yourself any number for the following warning questions:

• “What will be the consequences if I hold on to this anger?”
• “I have an important meeting with a client. Am I putting my best foot forward now?”
• “What will happen if I don’t get my shift together?”
• “I have an extremely busy day. Am I in the mood I need to be in to get things done?”
• “Are my fears keeping me from succeeding?”
• “What can I do to turn this mood around?”
• “What would Steve Rizzo say if he could see me now?” (Or substitute “my mother” for “Steve Rizzo” and “she” for “him.”)

These types of questions act like radar, warning you that you’re spinning out of control and becoming dangerously negative. More importantly, warning questions are good reminders that there are better ways to deal with frustrating and chaotic events than clinging to the worst-case scenarios they bring up.

Here is one humorous strategy to get you on your way: The next time you’re at the breaking point of losing it, imagine that your Humor Being has a voice and is taking on the role of a news reporter giving you the blow-by-blow account of what is happening inside you.

“We interrupt your regularly scheduled life to bring you this special news bulletin! This is a message from your emotional broadcasting system. It has been brought to our attention that you are late, stuck in traffic, and your back sweat is turning your seat into the Everglades! You are now being tested to evaluate the severity of the negative situation. Right now you have a choice!  You can either get your shift together and laugh, learn the lesson life is trying to teach you, nourish your soul, move on with confidence and enjoy the day — or you can suffer from inner conflict, get angry, lose control and let opportunities pass you by! May the shift be with you. Back to you in the studio, Chuck.”

*This blog originally appeared on SteveRizzo.com

Steve Rizzo is more than a Funny Motivational Speaker. Don’t let the laughter fool you! What Steve brings to the table is his captivating ability to engage the attendees with laughter as he challenges them to SHIFT their focus and way of thinking to discover greater enthusiasm, increased productivity and new levels of success. Recognizing difficult situations don’t cause us to fail or be unhappy, but rather our negative thoughts and beliefs about the situations, Steve has been Adjusting Attitudes in organizations throughout the world such as AT&T, Prudential, State Farm, LaQuinta, and even the CIA (yes, he even had them laughing!) since 1994.
Find him on Twitter @steverizzophb, Facebook at Riz’s Biz Steve Rizzo, LinkedIn and Google+.