Have You Had Your Laugh Today?

Have you laughed today? I mean really laughed. One of those out-loud-belly laughs that makes the dogs sit up and take notice? The kind of laugh that brings tears to your eyes?

I was sitting here working away on a deadline project tonight - as usual, the TV was on to keep me awake - I was surfin' around looking for something other than yesterday's news - ask me if I care how the Asian Market opened? The President's school speech has come and gone; we've moved on to the next crisis . . . but I don't really care. I'm on a deadline and my eyes need toothpicks!

Suddenly there's Whoopi Goldberg - WOW - Whoopi 20-something years ago . . . . my clicker finger stops. What IS this movie? Ah, it's "Jumpin' Jack Flash." Not my usual fare, but I never saw the movie and I've heard so much about it. It's gotta be better than reruns on CNN.

The next thing I knew I was watching the shredder turn Whoopi's ball gown into a sequined mini-gown. I was literally sitting here by myself laughing so hard that tears were running down my face. The dogs came out of their beds to see what had turned their mother into a raving maniac. First of all, I don't think I've EVER seen Whoopi in a dress (except for a nun's habit, but that hardly counts). But Whoopi's frantic mugging (or tugging) was more than I could take. I was in stitches.

Wait --- it gets better --- she answered the door to her apartment with a HUGE tooth brush tucked under her arm. I can see the headlines now: APARTMENT INTRUDER MUGGED BY KILLER TOOTHBRUSH!

As I laughed my way into the kitchen for a glass of water I started thinking about an e-mail I'd gotten earlier from a friend --- a wonderfully droll fellow who is dealing with the antics of a Giant Schnauzer puppy he rescued. We serve on a board together, but his e-mail dealt mostly with puppy:

"Puppy is fine, apparently unfazed by the ant traps. Just last week he was counter-surfing in the bedroom and found a box of disposable contact lenses and ate all of them up. And I have finally had to relinquish all hope of continuing to wear my house shoes because after surviving Mr. Zeus, Ms. Lilly and now Puppy, only the toes are left with not even a hint of heels. I was thinking on the way home from the emergency vet that I should have had Pup's head pumped out, rather than his stomach, because he clearly has sh*t for brains. Anyway, I love him dearly if he is a challenge."

I was rolling on the floor as I read that e-mail because I could just HEAR my friend saying this.

OK, folks, I haven't totally lost my mind. But the trip to the kitchen DID get me to thinking. One of the reasons I wanted to work for myself was to enjoy life more. I'd spent too many 12 hour days with 1 hour commutes on each end. And yet, 10 years down the line, here I was - nose to the grindstone all day. If it weren't for the dogs plopping their huge paws in the middle of my keyboard periodically, I'd probably go whole days without sticking my head out the door.

One of my first clients was a hyper-pushy chap who was constantly flailing at windmills, and micromanaging things to death. After the first month I felt like I was back in my old office and believe me, it was NOT a good feeling. I quickly extricated myself from Don Quixote and made a promise to myself that I would only accept clients I enjoyed being around. As a result I work with an eclectic mix and often find myself smiling at the e-mails we exchange. And that is important!

Knock Knock . . . .

Remember all those knock-knock jokes the kids love to tell. Corny as they may be, we generally laugh. It's just human nature to want to make others laugh -- be honest --- it feels good when you make a wisecrack and get a laugh. I have a friend who is known as the King of Puns. He can turn anything into a pun. It can be downright difficult to have a serious conversation with Mark. But even the groaners are fun and we always have a good time when Mark is around.

As small businesses owners we become isolated. The very nature of our business means we wear numerous hats and spend long hours earning our money. For most of us the difference between working long hours in a conventional office and working long hours for ourselves is the ability to have a certain amount of control over our lives. For me it meant I could finally spend more time with my dogs and birds and it gave me the freedom to work from my RV. All things that bring me great joy.

But it occurs to me that periodically we need to step back and take stock. It's way too easy to forget just why we are doing this and once again become robotic slaves. Periodically we need to evaluate our personal practices: Have we pushed ourselves in a corner again? Are we taking time to smell the roses? Are we carving out a bit of time for ourselves and our families each day? Do we enjoy our clients and the folks we work with? Do we find something to laugh at every day? Research has proven that laughing improves our health.

In truth my pets provide me with a lot of laughs. The other day Bleu, my Indian Ringneck, was trying to put his special treat dish (where he gets his veggies and fruit every day) in his seed dish. The seed dish is tied down. But the treat dish just hangs on the other side of his cage. I'd been working hard on a project and he'd not yet had his special treats. When I heard him pounding on something I found him purposefully trying to stack the treat dish in his seed dish. As I watched he repeatedly retrieved and re‑stacked the treat dish, only to see it fall to the floor of the cage one more time. Once again I was laughing out loud with nobody to appreciate what was happening. He accomplished his mission, however, as I soon filled his treat dish with broccoli and cherry tomatoes - and took a break I probably needed.

A client called shortly after I gave Bleu his treats. The first thing she said was how happy I sounded - she was having a bad day and I could hear the frustration in her voice. I shared Bleu's antics with her briefly and we had a good laugh. Her follow-up e-mail indicated she felt much better about the situation after our conversation. How good it felt to share a laugh with someone else.

The E-Myth author Michael Gerber asks "Are you having the same conversations and confronting the same frustrations day after day?" I would ask, "Are you feeling the same frustrations you felt while working for someone else?" If your days are no different than they were before, you've probably lost one of the major benefits of running your own business. Do you enjoy your clients? Do you build little moments of joy into your days? Laughter is good for the soul. Make sure you find something to laugh at each day. Don't let working alone drag you down. Remember the reason you made this move and make it work for you.