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Why a Non-Practicing Lawyer Turned to the Power of Laughter

I hold a JD and I’m a licensed mediator, but you won’t find my name on a law firm’s door. For years, my "office" was my community and my home.


I spent years learning how to argue, negotiate, and resolve conflict, only to realize that the most effective tool for resolution isn’t always a legal brief—sometimes, it’s a SMILE, a BREATH, and a PLAYFUL RESET. Along the way, I discovered the power of laughter.


Whether I was starting a local choir, managing the operations of a family business, or navigating the beautiful, complex dynamics of being a wife and mother, I was always a mediator at heart. I wasn’t settling court cases; I was building bridges, fostering connection, and keeping the "harmony" in every sense of the word.


The question I most often ask myself is: What am I most committed to?


The answer is simple: 


Creating and supporting Generations of Love.


Love relationships are the most important contracts we ever sign.I still cherish many aspects of my legal training and contracts was my favorite subject.


I’ve learned that when tension rises—whether in a volunteer committee or at the dinner table—we need a reset tool that works better than an argument. In mediation, we talk about the moment when you’re too stressed to think clearly; even a gentle giggle can dispel the tension.


I don't see laughter as a joke. I see it as:


The Ultimate De-escalator: It shifts us out of "fight or flight" and back into connection.


A Soul Reset: It helps us tap into gratitude and positivity, even when life feels heavy.


A Relationship Healer: It revitalizes the bonds that matter most.


My identical twin sister, SARAH ROUTMAN, MEd (a Global Laughter Ambassador), trained me in the art of Laughter Yoga, and today, I’ve stepped into my own role as a Laughter Champion. After seeing how these tools transformed my own life, I couldn't keep them to myself.


That is why I’ve launched #Mission10k.


I’m on a mission to show 10,000 people that joy is a skill you can practice every day. You don't need a punchline; you just need to activate your own laughter superpower.


Come share this adventure and learn with us.


Share this post with 10 people and sign up for the FREE monthly Birthday club here: Comment on this post by clicking the title twice and let me know you're joining #Mission10k.


 
 
 

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

May isn't just another month on the calendar—it’s Mental Health Awareness Month.

When we talk about menatl health, most people immediately think of what’s not working. And when we think of laughter we think it’s sillly and for lightweights.


This month we want to make a positive impact on everyone’s mental health by using laughter in a powerful and impactful way. Laughter halts the production of the stress hormone, cortisol. Laughing regularly improves heart health. Laughter lifts your spirit and energizes you every time you engage with it. Join us this month at any or all of these laughter activities and make Laughter a Habit.


  • My 3rd: World Laughter Day  I’ll be on the Atlanta BeltLine sharing some intentional joy. If you’re local, come find me and let’s share a laugh!


  • Every Monday: Sarah's Weekly Laughter Call Fifteen minutes of laughter fun to kick off your week every Monday. 9:00 am Central.  


  • May 4th: Our Free May Laughter Birthday Party  Join us as we host a special Zoom celebration to kick off the month with connection and play.


  • Every Tuesday: The Free Laughter Zoom  The best way to support your Laughter Habit is through community. We meet every Tuesday to laugh and learn new tips and tricks.


Ready to join the fun? Everyone is welcome! Sign up for the Birthday Party and grap your free Joy Map Playbook to start your own habit today!



 
 
 

A 40-Day Laughter Challenge: What laughter revealed about commitent, learning curves, service, and keeping my word

I thought a 40-day laughter challenge would help me spread laughter in the world while stregthening my own laughter habit. I’d be demonstrating that a daily practice of laughter is doable even when it’s imperfect.

What I didn’t expect was how clearly it would reveal my relationship with planning and follow-through—especially when the habit depends on a skill set I’m still learning.


On December 1st, I declared on camera (via Instagram) that I was beginning a 40-Day Laughter Challenge—to finish the year and enter the new year with joyful laughter. For the first few days, I showed up. I laughed. I posted. I was on a roll.


Then I missed a day.


Two days later, I went back on camera and quoted James Clear’s reminder about habit change: never miss twice. That intention carried me forward—for a short while. And then I missed again.


What caught my attention wasn’t the lapse itself, but the story I started telling myself afterward.


Because here’s the honest truth:I was laughing.


I laughed during Zoom sessions.

I laughed with my granddaughter.

I laughed with my husband.

I was generating joyful laughter.


What wasn’t consistent was sharing it publicly—and not because I was uncomfortable laughing on camera.


What got in my way was remembering to do it on camera every day and the mechanics of posting.


When the Challenge Isn’t the Habit

This experience helped me see something clearly: this wasn’t resistance, and it wasn’t fear of being seen.


It was about not having made a clear plan. It was about not yet being fluent in a skill I need to rely on.


I had made a commitment, to post every day. I had also committed to go to bed before midnight. I couldn’t first remember my commitment to laugh on camera at 11: 45 pm and think it would be done quickly.


I’m still learning the mechanics of posting—moving a video from my phone, to my computer, into Instagram, and doing it smoothly and efficiently. I still don’t know if it’s better to post my laugh as a story, a reel, or a regular post. I wish I knew which was strategically better to increase views and engagement. I could use the trial and error method, or I could reach for guidance. I know little about hashtags, shares, and comments. Each step requires attention, patience, and more time than anticipated (which inevitably adds stress).


What surprised me most was noticing my own impatience with myself. A nagging belief that I should be better at this by now. That if I’m going to rely on a skill, I ought to already be proficient. I also noticed that to be successful and minimize the stress, I will need to start much earlier in the day. But that’s not how learning works.


Sometimes the hardest part of a habit isn’t the new behavior itself—it’s everything that surrounds it. Especially when it asks us to practice a skill before we feel confident or competent.


Choosing to Honor My Word

Rather than letting my promise quietly slip away, I chose to pause and reflect.


I want to honor my word—to you and to myself.

I want to finish the year laughing and begin the next one the same way.


Laughter is not just something I teach—it’s something that has changed me. Through leading laughter sessions, developing a daily laughter habit, and writing Discover the Power of Laughter: Jump-Start Your Journey to Health and Joy, my outlook has become more positive, more grateful, more up-beat, and more light-hearted.


This challenge reminded me that growth doesn’t always come from trying harder. Sometimes it comes from recognizing where patience, structure, and kindness toward myself is needed—especially while I’m still learning.


Lessons This Challenge Is Teaching Me

1. Planning matters—doubly when learning a new skill.Good intentions aren’t enough. A habit needs a clear structure. James Clear calls this a planned habit: I will do X at time Y in Z location.


I realized I hadn’t fully accounted for the time and energy required for the entire process—not just the part I enjoy.


It made me ask:

Where am I relying on good intentions instead of a clear, workable plan?


2. Learning curves deserve compassion.Relying on a skill before I feel fluent is frustrating. It’s easy to confuse that frustration with failure. I didn’t fail at this challenge, I pushed pause to determine how I wanted to structure the restart and how I can set myself up for success.


New skills take repetition. Impatience slows me down. Regular practice will lead to mastery.


I had to ask myself:

What would it look like to treat learning this skill the same way I treat learning any new habit—with curiosity instead of judgment?  The way I encourage someone to try laughing out loud for the first time without humor  is to be curious like a child, full of wonder, and a playful mindset.


3. The habit is bigger than the action.This challenge isn’t really about laughter videos. It’s about integrity. About being the kind of person who keeps her word—and who is willing to adjust with honesty rather than quit quietly.


It’s about choosing joyful laughter as a practice, not just a feeling.


It’s about maintaining my authenticity. Being real.


That led me to reflect:

What identity am I reinforcing with my daily choices?

Am I someone with a good plan and strong follow-up or someone with a good idea that fades fast?


4. It’s easier to show up in service of others than just for myself.

While this challenge is rooted in personal lintegrity, I’m learning how much more consistent I am  when I know my effort is serving someone else.


When someone comments on a post, shares it, or tells me it made them smile, it reminds me that the laughter is doing what I set out to do. That feedback matters, not as validation, but as connection. It lets me know I’m not laughing into the void. I’m spreading something life-giving.


Service helps ensure follow-through.


Being reminded that my laughter mades a difference helps me show up again.


It led me to ask myself:

Who benefits when I follow through — and who misses out when I don’t?


A Renewed Commitment

Here is my renewed promise—to myself and to you: For the next 40 days:

  • I will laugh every morning in or around my home before noon.

  • On Saturdays, I will laugh before 10:00 p.m.

  • I will post the video (either on Instagram or YouTube) within two hours of filming, allowing for grace when the mechanics of posting—or life—take longer than expected.


Each post will include laughter, a few reflections, and an invitation for you to share your own. Because laughter grows when it’s shared—and so does patience.


An Invitation

As always, you are invited to join me FREE every Tuesday morning on Zoom for 15 minutes of laughter. Sarah has a FREE Laughter call on Mondays for 15 minutes. We have also started a FREE monthly Birthday Club, where our community gathers on Zoom to celebrate birthdays with 45 minutes of shared laughter. Friends are welcome. Joy multiplies.



If you want to do a deeper dive into how to create your laughter habit, read chapter 9 of our book, Establish a Laughter Habit. You can buy our book here: DiscoverThePowerOfLaughter.com in print, audio , ebook and pdf.

On the site you’ll also find links to Laughter Game videos.


A Final Reflection for You

As you read this, I invite you to pause and ask yourself:

  • What promise have I made that still matters to me?

  • Where might I be learning a skill—and expecting mastery too soon?

    What structure or support would help me follow through with more ease?


Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you for walking alongside me. Here’s to laughter, learning, and beginning again—one joyful laugh at a time. 😊

 
 
 
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