19:56.

Where to start when life just flows as a natural stream?

It doesn't matter who says what or who does what or who is what - what matters is that everything is perfect the way it is.

This time of year frustrations and stress seem to be thrown about as if it was a matter of life and death getting those exact presents of getting somewhere or perhaps the turkey is too small...

Well, if you are a believer of Baby Jesus then he arrived at the exact time he arrived and it didn't really matter if it was too early or too late plus the latest games and gadgets were merely wrapped in fragrance and soothing oils for people to invent thousands of years later.

If you don't believe in the story of the Christ that's perfectly so, because this is not about religion but about being in the flow instead of forcing our way upstream.

The past few years have been a mix of challenge and flow and it is amazing to look back and review all the times where the challenges have forced their way to the surface and it has in fact been because of trying too hard. But what IS 'trying too hard'?

When you are passionate and compassionate about life, laughter and love then there should be no 'trying too hard' - it is all about sharing it all and not forcing it onto people.

I love what I do and sometimes it may seem that it is just too much but isn't that just because we all carry our own stuff around that cause us to react to certain stimuli in certain ways and sometimes it is contrary to our conditioning and our sense of 'over the top'.

OTT!

Cheers to Over The Top and sort-of-apologies if you feel I am too much but I really don't think I can help it much. Not because I don't care but because I do care about people, about you, about life, about love and about Laughter Yoga!

That took up up to 20:06.
Wishing you a great rest of Monday.

The Seven Giant Dwarfs of Indulgence and Spenditure

Garbage, Rubbish, Junk, Litter, Debris, Waste and Scrap.

Re-Cycling (courtesy of someone else)

Today's blogpost is a little moan and a sigh...

Who on Earth teaches children to throw their food wrappings, cigaret packaging, drink bottles and other stuff in the street instead of in a bin?

Trash!

Where did people pick up that habit of infesting our world with filth instead of being mindful and holding onto their junk until the nearest bin appears and it can go in there instead of out of it? Well, they didn't pick it up in the bin because that is seemingly foreign ground...

Even so, it seems the bin in many cases has been within reach and yet the garbage is littered just few feet away. It really hurts my eyes and my heart that there is so little consensus for using bins instead of the big space around them.

When did we agree on this meaningless wasteland of rubbish to be the standard learning environment for young people, grown-ups, adults, seniors?

A little thought and thinking here, please.

With pleasure comes mindfulness - when we enjoy we also contribute. Or have I got it all wrong?

I don't think so.
It is a shame and the shame is on us in our society and our communities.

Binned Water???

I grieve for the Earth as I pick up one piece after another on my 5-minute walk from Sainsburys to home, the road is littered with McDonalds packaging, cigaret packs, chocolate wrappings and other items that should be in the bin. As I extend a regretful glance toward the retail park I sigh and dig my hand full of other people's junk into the bin - and... let it go.

Even if I picked it all up the road would be the same tomorrow. BUT this is where we start - with our own consciousness, for me - I start with myself!

So that was my little heartfelt moan.

On the other hand, the day was beautiful, the grass was green, and we have Litter Heroes amidst the trash!

Burumbubumbum...

Peace on Earth - can it be...

On the 1st day of December I was listening to Michael Bubble sharing his favourite Christmas songs. You don't have to like Christmas songs or even Christmas - and you can do all you want in your own way to avoid feeling December.

However, it is practically impossible!

With all the street displays, TV shows, radio programmes, smiling strangers, stressed people, overcrowded parking lots... well, how do you plan on avoiding it all?

It may not be to everyone's liking but if people would only let go of the 'stuff' that prevents them from experiencing the December-feeling then we are one step closer.

And I am not being disrespectful to anyone who is going through some of the challenges in life where Christmas may be the time of year it gets a little big tougher. All I'm saying is to keep an open mind and there is love in all hearts - especially useful if we have to dig a bit deeper past the shopping-stress and planning-panick because that is probably when it is most needed.

Seemingly impossible to avoid and if that really is true just make sure you extend your December goodwill - a smile really can create a bridge between a bad day and a good day.

Be gentle with the shopcrew - they are doing their best and tackling all possible situations with a smile even when it is sometimes a stiffened one. Smile on the phone, smile in the car, smile with other people, smile, smile smile...

Even if Christmas is not your celebration, have patience with everyone else who is amindst the seasonfrenzy of food, outfits and whatever else we focus on.

So, live a little peace on Earth and share some goodwill to men and women, animals and plants.

We are in it together - Christmas or no-Christmas.

Wishing you a wonderful December!

Love is just a four letter word

Weed and seed  - another few beautiful four letter words!

A four letter word is defined to be a word that is coarse or offensive... effing and blinding in those one-syllable terms.

Doesn't it seem great though that nice words are also numerous and maybe even more so than the 'bad language' ones?

Words such as good, love, life, true, give, care, ease, mate, wish, kind, home, Moon, star, hope, play, free, epic, dear, luck, glad, soul, hero and lots of other amazing words that inspire with their simple four letters, keeping us motivated and cheerful.

My heart is bursting with the feel-good sensation all these words create and I wish for the miracles of them all to flow into your life, dear Laughter Blog reader, as well as the lives of those who don't read these thoughts but who are touched by four letters every day, touched by life.

Amidst baubles, icicles, past events, one-syllable words, and confidence discussions it seemed that the essence came back to one thing, love.

Irrespective of what goes on for me, there is no way I can change another person into being the way I would like - this is probably one of the key reasons why some relationships failed in the past, because I wanted so badly for the other person to be like I wanted the other person so badly to be... But it really isn't how life works, is it? Or how love works...

Acceptance, compassion and unconditional love!

Being in the flow of life.
Flowing with life.
Living on the tide of life.

There is nowhere more enriching to be in life than in the space of trust and honesty.

That goes for friendships, family, work relations, and that true love connection.

Se here we are, 2013 drawing towards the end of November and soon towards the end of the year and has anything changed in the way of perceiving life?

I'l like to think so.
Every day represents new life, new beginnings, new ends, new love - and even if all of that is still the same as yesterday, well, it is still brand new and fresh.

Look at life with bewonderment and awe every day and I guarantee that these four letter words will flow like magic in every area of life. 'Flow' - another wonderful short word.

Joan Baez 'Love is just a four letter word'.

But it isn't just a four letter word - it is a positive four letter word.

So, live your life...
...and laff!

A Laughter Flashmob???

DUCKMOB 'Quack quack quack ahahahaha quack quack hahaha'

What the...??? How did that happen???

Numerous times over the past many years someone has said 'Laughter Flashmob' and everyone has excitedly joined in celebrating the excellent idea...

However, when it has come to realising the goal of flasmobbing a city with a laugh...well, that is a different story and the reason you are reading these lines in their current form and shape.

It so came about that I decided to spearpoint this event seeing that everyone thinks it is a superb idea but no one has taken the time to action it yet. The best thing about forefronting great ideas is that your team really quickly becomes a more-than-one-person team because the commitment to doing it, setting a date and getting the wheels moving makes it a possible happening and everybody LOVES that.

So, Laughter Network's Lisa Sturge and Lotte Mikkelsen (that would be me) are taking the idea to exciting reality - but let's all make it happen!

Does that make sense? Well, for me it does, because I have done that many times - agreeing to good ideas, nodding in the best-of-intention-type-of-agreement-nod and then doing nothing because no one ran with it and dusted the sneezy-dust off the project.

• Time has come to change things!
• Time has come to take action!

A good idea only lives when we act and when we act in unison there is a higher change of success, and when we act in a multitude of voices then we cannot fail!

So, here we go.
Somewhere in London on 5th July 2014 - and only the members of the club will know where exactly!

Rarely do I promote events on this blog but this is not only about the event but moreso about the courage and the will to take action on a good idea.

When Dr. Madan Kataria had the idea of starting a laughter club back in the 1995-days it took him 3 hours of action to kick it off - and yes, they were only 5 people on that day 13th March 1995 but things changed.

With willingness to put the bottom on the line and with a bit of cheeky courage and conviction we can overcome the worst cases of laissez-faire and boredom, stand-still and tiresome lack of urgency.

The support for this project is only a £2 donation which may cover our costs and the proceeds will be donated to our chosen charity!

It will be amazing to kick off the summer with a great and resounding laugh, echoing through London's touristfilled squares and streets.

Next stop...
World Peace!

Something about cold...

The beauty in frozen windows, icy feet and cold hands only reaches as far as to clattering teeth and a dripping nose.

However, going beyond personal discomfort with the approching winter chills there is just something life affirming and profoundly vitalising in spending time on a wave-ridden beach on a windy day.

Even the drip-dropping rain on a Monday afternoon seem to be infusing the mind and body with energy and my purple fingers on the keyboard are just a minor obstacle to feeling all great.

So what if there are a few freezing digits? My lungs are breathing the fresh November air - erm - fresh-ish I believe would be the proper term when thinking of the traffic frolicking down the road, but nevertheless, I am part of this wonderful breathing planet, breathing along at my own pace.

Why so cold then? Well, even after one year in this house, I still haven't quite grasped the heating technology of the boiler timer.

Somebody had a sense of humour...

No matter how cold it gets there is an extra pair of longjohns and gloves (unless they got lost in /the park...)...

...plus a hot cuppa to celebrate that the weather remains outside again today.

On that note, I am aware that not everyone is as fortunate and that some people may be even colder than I am, and may be without the comforting shelter of a home and added value of extra socks and jumpers - and that nice warm cup of tea with a dunking biscuit.

My heartwarming and heartfelt thoughts go to all of you out there who are starting to feel the wintry sensations!

I remain as always freezingly your pocket philosopher on a cold November Monday with the outlook of a starclimber - never losing sight of the miracles of this existence.

Graciously, gracefully, gratefully.

Homage to Friendship.

1974 Thorvaldsenskolen Class 1a

We are a sum of lots of different elements of the life we lead and live and yet we are not all that at all...

My past with all the ups and downs and mainly wonderful memories came into my mind big time this week and I was reminded that sometimes holding on to things that need to be let go is a way of holding onto something that is a moment of the past and best left there even if it is a great past in the present.

That may not make sense but that is okay - it is just my mind-toggle that is currently working overdrive-frequency on this topic.

Sadness when you say goodbye to people and things that really have meant the world in the past is a natural way of the grieving process and it is what made me think about this whole past subject and how it impacts everything we do - if we allow it.

Friendships happened in the past and they happen in the present.

2000 Ottar's virgin trip - vikings of the past in the present

My memorylane is full of precious images spent with my wonderful friends and some of them I have been fortunate to maintain even after moving country but on occasions time catches up with friendships - the moments they burst or come to a halt.

I experienced one of these changes and it saddened me to the depth of my heart. Distance had put a friendship in a time capsule for a later revisit or maybe never again.

Good friends will always be in my heart and I will probably shed loads of tears over the absence of the fun, laughter, love, tears and times we have not spent and that I thought we would spend together in the future.

Letting go of what we think is our make-up is a daunting thing and it is okay to keep holding onto when the make-up is willing to stick... At times it is time to let go.

Everything happens for a reason and when it happens it is that moment the reason became a reason.

You always have a place in my heart, my friends, new ones and old ones - those from the past and those from the present.

Those who said 'goodbye' and those who said 'hello'.

No matter what, I will always be there if you need me - I may not be just around the corner but I am only a phonecall away.

You are my homies!