Members of International Humor Association Offer Tips
To Travelers for Combating Stress this Summer
Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor Says "Don't Forget to Pack Your Sense of Humor - You'll Need it!"
Press Contact: Gary Carr , Rising Moon Marketing & Public Relations, (925) 672-8717, carrpool@pacbell.netSan Francisco . June 8, 2005 . It's going to be a long, hot summer for U.S. travelers. According to the latest news reports, the airlines are in an economic pinch and are determined to fly with full loads, even if it means long delays while they wait for connecting flights to arrive with the last batches of passengers. In addition, the airlines are planning to wait out bad weather this summer, instead of canceling flights.
"As airline travelers stand in longer and longer lines this summer, their sanity will be on the line, as well," says Allen Klein, President of the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH).
"Stress levels are liable to go through the roof. The only real antidote to the stress of a bad travel experience is to hang on to your sense of humor," Klein adds.
Why humor? Because it brings a healthy detachment, says the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, whose mission is to advance the understanding and application of humor and laughter in healthcare, business, and education.
"Humor helps us get a different perspective in any situation," Klein says. "When you can see your trials and tribulations through the eyes of humor, you can more easily cope with them because you are less attached to them."
Klein himself has written several books on the health-giving properties of humor. In one, he devotes a whole chapter keeping one's cool during the stresses of travel.
"Humor gives perspective and a way of getting the upper hand on any unexpected or uncontrollable situation. It's an invaluable tool in dealing with airline adversities," he says.
"Wing Tips" to combat stress
Klein offers a list of "Wing Tips" for coping successfully with the stresses of air travel.
Wing Tip #1 - Come prepared with some "Mind Songs" to cheer yourself up.
Learn the words to show tunes like "Put on a Happy Face," or "I Want to Be Happy," or "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow."
Wing Tip #2 - Take a "Lighten Up" lesson from Flight Attendants.
During adverse conditions, flight attendants manage to keep their sense of humor and use it to calm passengers, ease tension, and make everyone's trip more pleasant. One attendant had a sense of the absurd when, during a long wait on the tarmac, she announced,
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are currently number 524 for take-off. We should be off the ground in about 6 hours and 43 minutes."
Wing Tip #3 - Pretend you're on "Totally Hidden Videos."
Make believe there's a camera filming your every action. How do you look screaming at the counter clerk or scowling because you've been chosen to remove your shoes while going through security?
Wing Tip #4 - Look for the humor in even the most miserable situation.
Bad travel experiences always make great stories later. When your suitcase falls out of the overhead, pops open, and scatters your underwear over other people trying to get to their seats, think about how much fun you'll have recounting this experience to friends back home.
Wing Tip #5 - Increase your smileage.
Research shows that your body doesn't know the difference between a real smile and a fake one. Force a smile if you have to, and you'll find your stress level going down. Keep smiling, and your fellow passengers will follow suit. You can lighten up a whole plane that way.
"If you're ready to assume a detached mind-set and laugh at your own lousy experiences, you'll win the less-stress game every time," Klein says.
"If they're picky at home, they'll be worse on the road."
Once you get off the plane, don't let your sense of humor get lost with your luggage, cautions Kathleen Passanisi, a Past-president of AATH.
Passanisi's recipe for a stress-free vacation once you're on the road contains some key ingredients:
- Forget the fixed agenda. Keep it loose, so spontaneity has a chance.
- Travel with people who help you laugh and who don't get bent out of shape easily. If they're picky at home, they'll be worse on the road.
- Use fresh eyes. Be on the lookout for goofy signs and weird bumper stickers. A personal favorite she spotted on a recent trip was, "Eat right, exercise - die anyway!"
- Keep a smile on your face when you're faced with long lines. You'll be surprised how many people you can catch off guard
- Pretend you're someone else with an entirely different history. Share your "story" with total strangers whom you'll never see again. It's fun to walk in someone else's shoes.
"It always works for me," Passanisi says.
Combating Kid Boredom at Home or Away
Finally, AATH President-Elect Lenny Dave offers some tips for avoiding summertime stress when your kids start using the "B-word." (BOR-ing.)
· Kids bored at home on a sweltering day? Surprise them by going home early. Turn on the sprinkler in the yard. Play in the water with your kids. Never fails to raise a smile! And it they're older - try water balloons!
· Kids really bored by the pool. Become a poolside Picasso! By creatively applying sunscreen (or not), see how many shapes or images on each other you can produce. (Hint: this one may take some patience.)
· Kids bored on the highway? Count the number of drivers you see talking on their cell phones. Take turns making up both ends of their conversations.
· You're bored at an amusement park? Count the number of kids behaving worse than yours. Smile and be thankful they belong to someone else! (A variation: look for obnoxious parental behavior, too.)
Allen Klein , who bills himself as a "Jollytologist," holds an M.A. in humor from St. Mary's College in Minnesota and is a Certified Speaking Professional. He is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader for corporations, hospitals, and other organizations and teaches the uses of humor in a variety of settings, including education, human relations, and healthcare. In addition to writing books and articles on the uses of humor, Klein is the editor of the Mid-Month Mirth Memo and founder of International Mirth Month, which occurs every March. He is the current President of the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor. Klein lives in San Francisco .
Kathleen Passanisi has helped thousands change their perspectives through her engaging and entertaining program on the therapeutic value of laughter and humor. An internationally recognized speaker, humorist, medical professional, and author, Kathleen is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame and the recipient of a lifetime achievement award in the discipline of therapeutic humor. She is a Past- president of the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor and a licensed physical therapist. Many see her as the funniest woman in Lake Saint Louis , Missouri , and possibly the Western Hemisphere .
Lenny Dave is a nationally known speaker, author and humorist. He is the founder and president of Cincinnati-based Lenmar Communications, which presents motivational keynotes and interactive "thinkshops" for college, corporate, and wellness programs. He is the President-Elect of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.
More on AATH
Founded in 1987, the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) is a non-profit professional organization that advances the understanding and application of humor and laughter for their positive benefits. Its members include psychologists, counselors, teachers, nurses, hospital clowns, and others who incorporate humor into their work. The group counts Dr. Patch Adams, who was portrayed by Robin Williams in a movie of the same name, as a member.
AATH Contacts:
Karla Pollack, Executive Secretary, 5 Independence Way, Suite 300 , Princeton , NJ 08540-6627 . Phone 609-392-3800 , Fax 609-392-0244, staff@aath.org Web www.aath.org .
Press Contact:
Gary Carr , Rising Moon Marketing & Public Relations, (925) 672-8717, carrpool@pacbell.net
