6. Your Emotions
In this chapter, we will take a systematic approach to what “feeling good” means from a laughter perspective, and safe and reliable ways to get there. For the vast majority of humans, it is one of three things:
1. Pleasure: Is a “physiological” sensation rooted in the body. Anything that stimulates the senses is pleasure-oriented. It can be a lot of fun, and we’ll talk about it, but be clear that it’s always short-lived, typically dependent on external stimuli that may not always be there, and won’t do much for your personal development.
2. Happiness: Is “psychological” in nature and is a step up the ladder from pleasure. It is more refined, more cultured. You can say that pleasure is a lower form of happiness and happiness is a higher form of pleasure; however, they are two sides of the same coin. This can also be a lot of fun, and we’ll definitely talk about how to get more of it, but an inconvenient truth is that there is a dark side to happiness. Stay tuned. We’ll get to that shortly.
3. Joy: Is totally different from pleasure or happiness. It has nothing to do with outside circumstances or the stimulation of mental or physical influences – it is an inner experience of peace and serenity produced by “one’s choice” to be here and now and grateful for the opportunity to experience life to its fullest irrespective of one’s current circumstances. Joy happens when time stops, and you are involved in something you enjoy doing. Experiencing it is easier than you think, and I’ll share practical ideas that you can implement right away.
Ready, set, go!
