The Mary Poppins Principle: Why We Need Fun

Millions of us grew up loving Mary Poppins. That straight-laced nanny who was "practically perfect in every way" certainly had a way of injecting fun into people's lives! From going to the bank to connecting new friends to the cartoon derby, Mary Poppins embodies the concepts of freedom through discipline and discipline through fun. When coaching extremely driven clients who want both success and spiritual growth (now!), I often "prescribe" what I call "The Mary Poppins Principle." Here's how it works:

"A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down"

Have you ever tried to go through an entire day without having any fun at all? Ever go to work and purposely refuse to crack a smile? "No, not purposely," you might say, "But sometimes my work really isn't any fun at all." For some reason, when people receive money, they can sometimes justify a lack of fun, but it still doesn't make them love their jobs, and it doesn't make them any more successful.

Think of Mr. Banks (the father), for example. He goes to the bank every single day and comes home an unhappy, irritable man--but he makes a decent living. He never laughs until he tells the joke his son told him about "the man with a wooden leg named Smith." ("What's the name of his other leg?") For the first time ever, Mr. Banks has fun at work, and he thinks he's fired--because what can work and fun possibly have in common? He feels liberated to leave his job behind, even though he no longer sees any means for financial security. He commits to fun. And what happens? He receives a promotion precisely because of his joke, which made the crotchety old boss die laughing--the happiest anyone had ever seen him. A spoonful of sugar--a little fun--makes every task more palatable, just like it makes castor oil taste good for the Banks children.

It also makes the work of personal growth much easier to swallow. People so often associate things like meditation, spirituality and following their path with hard work. Work hard, play hard, right? Nope, work hard, work even more! No wonder they find their lives a bit lackluster. Who wants to work all week at a job they know does not align with their greater purpose only to spend their weekend pondering how much effort and dour soul searching the path to purpose will eventually require? Who really wants to deprive themselves of all the frivolities of life so they can receive an imaginary diploma from Enlightened University?

I encourage everyone to add a spoonful of sugar to every unpleasant or boring aspect of life, but especially to spiritual pursuits. When we associate something with fun, we tend to engage in it more often. We also release control, a fact that helps us break through prior limitations. When we stop taking ourselves and our lives so seriously--when we inject some fun into the journey--our eyes twinkle, and so does our mind. Creative juices start flowing, and surprising solutions reveal themselves like uncontrollable giggles. Punch lines become strokes of genius. Mr. Banks spreads laughter, and the laughter performs its own work. People around him start living from a place of love and gratitude.

"The More I Laugh (ha ha ha ha), the More I Fill with Glee"

Ever hear of Laughter Yoga? Hey, this is some seriously good stuff. People join together and instead of holding pretzel poses or sweating out toxins at 104 degrees, they laugh! Over 6000 Laughter Yoga clubs exist now in 60 countries. Participants find the unconventional practice offers boons like greater relaxation, feelings of oneness with the universe, unconditional compassion, spontaneous moments of joy. People bond while chuckling together, even when they can't explain what's so funny.

Good for the soul, good for the body: scientists already know laughter speeds recovery from illness and injury. It feeds the blood with rich supplies of oxygen, and healthy cells thrive in a high oxygen environment. Laughter lowers high blood pressure, creates painkilling endorphins and massages our internal glands and organs just like traditional yoga poses. It also reduces stress, which lowers the cortisol that leads to fat tummies. Belly laughs also provide a great abdominal workout. Wanna lose that gut and awaken your heart chakra? Have six guffaws and call me in the morning.

"Good Luck Will Rub Off When I Shake 'ands with You"

Ah, Bert, Mary Poppins' chimney sweeping friend! He spends his days "in the ashes and smoke" but "in this 'ole wide world, there's no happier bloke." Bert goes into the darkness every single day. He clears out ashes, gets covered in soot, but he still manages to attract friends like the magical Mary Poppins. He also works a day job and yet finds time for creative pursuits like chalk drawings and dancing. Because he sees himself as lucky, Bert becomes so, and his artwork takes on a life of its own. He feels so happy that he wants to share his luck, and in doing so, he gets showered with even more blessings and love.

The jovial chimney sweep also teaches us something about timing. In that phenomenal rooftop choreography, we see Bert and the other sweeps making fantastic leaps of faith, twirling through the air, walking on impossibly narrow and high walls, and always landing safely. They move through the air and around each other with ease and grace, and why does it all work? Timing. Fun with discipline. By approaching life as a dance, even unglamorous activities and slow periods become dynamic expressions of Spirit. If you don't believe in the power of dance to create unity, Google "Dancing with the Universe" and watch the video. When we dance, our hearts open and we share joy, luck, and love with everyone around us. Then more of those things start spinning towards us in the complex jig of synchronicity. Timing matters, and we can learn to trust where and how we step at any given moment.

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"

Who cares what it sounds like? And who cares if it's a real word? It became one because people started using it. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a nonsense word that describes exactly how it feels: fantastic! Mary Poppins uses it to express her effortless win at the cartoon derby. Mr. Banks uses it when he feels the freedom to walk away from a dead-end job. The children sing it while they march around the house.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious teaches us about Essence--the deepest and most playful part of our being. When we initially let our true selves show, some people react. At first, Mr. Banks can't stand having his son James and servants sing that "silly word." He orders everyone around him to stop the nonsense. Something about the word itself grates on his nerves, highlighting the difference between his enculturated life vs. the more authentic lives of those around him. Mr. Banks tries to bury his feelings, and in so doing allows the word to plant its potent seed. With the right combination of stress, loss of control, laughter and freedom, that seed begins to sprout until Mr. Banks grows into ... himself! He becomes the lighthearted child AND the successful businessman; the doting father and husband AND the powerful provider. Mr. Banks becomes the most beautiful and lively version of himself. Once he does, Mary Poppins can move on to another family because Mr. Banks and all the lives he touches will begin to feel Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. ... And so it goes ...

So honor your most ridiculous thoughts, words and dreams. Insist on fun with discipline. Dance like no one's looking. Let yourself feel lucky. Laugh! Follow the Mary Poppins Principle, and let your weirdness shine. Your soul and the world will thank you.




Laura Bruno is a Life Coach, Medical Intuitive and Reiki Master Teacher who believes in making life transitions fun. In addition to private coaching and intuitive sessions, she teaches Conscious Eating 101, Intuition workshops and Reiki Certification classes around the country and in the San Francisco area. For more information on classes, transitional coaching, animal communication, and letting your gifts shine through your career, please see: www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com or call 775-750-9140.

Laura also wrote the book, "If I Only Had a Brain Injury," which explores The Wizard of Oz as a model for healing from so-called medical mysteries, available at www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com, Amazon and other online retailers.

Interviews with Laura Bruno

For convenience, I thought I'd collect all these interview links in one place:

July 2, 2008--"Dynamic Transformations"

May 29, 2008-- "In Short Order"

May 23, 2008-- "Inside Scoop Live"

May 2, 2008-- "Reader Views"

December 2, 2007-- "Mind-Energy"

November 2003 -- "Yoga Journal" (under my maiden name, Derbenwick)


Upcoming interview: September 25, 2008 on "A Balanced Life with Beth Aldrich"

If you would like to request an interview, workshop, speech or book signing, please contact Laura@ifionlyhadabraininjury.com.

Mark Patterson Interviews Laura Bruno on Dynamic Transformations BlogTalk Radio

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dynamictransformations (Scroll down to the July 2 interview, "If I Only Had a Brain Injury.")

Disability Income - Improving Cash Flow When Life's Got You Down

Ongoing health issues not only damage quality of life; they can also wreak havoc on finances. Fortunately, if your old ways of earning a living become impossible, you need not despair. You can take positive steps to improve your cash flow:

1. Know your rights. If you suffered an on-the-job injury or car accident, you might qualify for Workman's Compensation or Disability Insurance. Contact your state's Workman's Compensation Department, and/or ask someone to review your insurance policy. Depending on the severity and duration of your symptoms, you might also be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These options require significant paperwork and follow-thru, but they can sometimes keep you afloat when income plummets. (Keep in mind that SSI limits your ability to receive money from other sources, so consult with an attorney or social worker before you apply for benefits. Even if you do meet the criteria, people often need to submit multiple appeals before they see any checks. If you expect permanent disability and want SSI, it pays to get an early start and remain persistent.)

2. Get proper treatment. When poor health keeps you from working, getting well makes good financial sense. If your symptoms mystify your doctors, you might want to explore the possibility of often misdiagnosed conditions like Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Post Traumatic Vision Syndrome, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traditional medicine marginalizes neurological symptoms and chronic pain, but some experts specialize in these conditions. Do your research. Finding the right treatment provider can start you on the path to physical and financial recovery.

3. Contact organizations designed to help you. For example, if you experience visual problems, call your state's Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired. They can sometimes provide software or hardware to enlarge computer screens, create auditory versions of the written word, offer job retraining or funding for treatment options. Suffered trauma? Ask your hospital about occupational therapy (O.T.) options. Investigate local, state and national organizations that offer scholarships or grants for people with various disabilities or backgrounds.

4. Become an affiliate. If you already recommend products or books to people you know, you can become a ClickBank or Amazon affiliate. This need not involve posting online ads or giving a major sales pitch. It just means you can earn commissions for products you already recommend. ClickBank sellers usually offer 50% or more commission, and Amazon "Associates" earn up to 10% on qualifying purchases. If you find yourself raving about particular products or services, find out if the company will compensate you for referrals.

5. Get creative. Some of our greatest artists and writers began their careers while bedridden or house bound. The lawyer Henri Matisse only started painting during a long recovery from appendicitis. SurvivorsArtFoundation.org "is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization committed to empowering trauma survivors with effective expressive outlets via internet art gallery, outreach programs, national exhibitions, publications and development of employment skills." They aim "to enable the survivor/artists to display and market their works to give them recognition, hope and direction by implementing this innovative approach to healing." Kaleidoscope Magazine of United Disability Services publishes creative work by, for or about people with disabilities-including award winning content by some of the best writers of our time. Latent creative abilities often surface when traditional skills falter. Consider this time an opportunity to let your inner artist shine!

6. Focus on service. If you're struggling with these health issues, others probably are, too. Brainstorm ideas of how to help people in your situation. Many a business began when people simply brought into being what they sensed would help their own recovery. If you have stumbled upon a "miracle cure," unusual technique, or special technology that helped you heal, consider sharing your discoveries with others. Write articles and/or books; create a recovery blog with online sponsors; start a non-profit organization; raise awareness; learn, practice and eventually teach alternative healing techniques. If you don't feel like you can work for someone else, then work from home. You can set your own hours and still make a major difference in this world. Inspiring others will enhance your own recovery!

7. Find your purpose. People say, "Everything happens for a reason" and we so want to believe that's true! When life shuts out most opportunities, consider carefully the skills or talents that remain. Sometimes Destiny arrives in the form of disabilities that remove all other options. Do you have an unusual or hidden gift? A sense of calling or special mission? Life has a funny way of supporting our deepest longings and most dramatic offerings. And the sooner we embrace our path, the easier that road becomes. "Impossible" synchronicities make regular appearances. Words, food and money arrive at just the proper time. Almost before we realize what's happening, Life returns-and with it, the abundance we so crave.


Laura Bruno is a Life Coach, Medical Intuitive and Reiki Master Teacher dedicated to helping people live radiantly free, compassionate and joyful lives: http://www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com/

Laura also authored the long-awaited book If I Only Had a Brain Injury: A TBI Survivor and Life Coach's Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Concussion, Lyme Disease, Migraine or Other "Medical Mystery," now available at http://www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com/

Brain Injury Survivor Provides Healing Support for Medical Mystery Diseases

Don't let your health get you down. Whether it's Lyme Disease, Migraine Headaches, Chronic Fatigue or a Brain Injury, you can reclaim a rich and meaningful life. Author Laura Bruno, brain injury survivor, offers practical ways to turn illness into a positive healing experience.
San Diego, CA

(PRWEB) June 16, 2008 -- Anyone with a physical ailment or who loves someone suffering from debilitating health conditions will benefit from reading "If I Only Had a Brain Injury: A TBI Survivor and Life Coach's Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Concussion, Lyme Disease, Migraine, or Other 'Medical Mystery'" (ISBN 9781436322461, Xlibris Corporation, 2008).

When a car crash resulted in a brain injury, Laura Bruno was forced to relearn everything she knew. For four years, Bruno was disabled and unable to work. She found difficulty performing such simple tasks as reading or driving from one location to another without getting lost. Now she tells her story to provide hope and healing to others.

Bruno compares herself to Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" and uses the Scarecrow's song from the film to create the title for "If I Only Had a Brain Injury." She reminds us that Dorothy's experiences were the result of a concussion, but Dorothy returned from her dream with greater appreciation for home; similarly, Bruno's brain injury gave her a new and more compassionate perspective.

Bruno explores numerous medical mysteries similar to brain injuries. She writes about her husband's experiences with Lyme Disease, as well as people's struggles with Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Common shared tendencies include lost sense of "self," debilitating fatigue, chronic pain, inability to access parts of your brain, and frequent sensory overload.

"If I Only Had a Brain Injury" contains a wealth of information in an interesting, easy-to-read manner. Bruno provides healing hints, appendices, interviews with various experts, networking and contact information. "If I Only Had a Brain Injury" is the ultimate starting place for anyone suffering a physical illness. The reader will learn how to heal on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels so life continues as a rich and gratifying experience.

About the Author
After completing a Master's Degree in English at the University of Chicago, Laura Bruno spent two years in the corporate world. Just before her return to graduate school, she suffered a brain injury. Years of misdiagnoses forced her to find alternative means to getting well. Now a writer and Intuitive Life Coach, Laura enjoys a full practice. From a woman once considered "permanently disabled," "If I Only Had a Brain Injury" is testament to the incredible resilience of the human brain and spirit.

"If I Only Had a Brain Injury: A TBI Survivor and Life Coach's Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Concussion, Lyme Disease, Migraine, or Other 'Medical Mystery'" (ISBN 9781436322461, Xlibris Corporation, 2008) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. For more information, visit www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com. Publicity contact: www.ReaderViews.com. Review copies available upon request.
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Link to Lyme Disease/TBI radio interview

I thought people might enjoy the talk radio show this evening on “In Short Order” (a radio program that interviews experts on Lyme Disease). Below is the info for Thursday night’s interview, which is live:

listeners who want to listen by phone can call 712-432-1001 code: 460558241# or go to http://www.tropicwaveradio.net/ and listen at In Short Order. It begins at 6 p.m. West Coast / 9 p.m. East Coast time.

Please feel free to pass along the links to others who might benefit. Sue Vogan intends to interview me about both Lyme and TBI. It should eventually be archived online here as well:

http://www.tropicwaveradio.net/archives/tropicwaveradio.html#I

You probably have to paste it in as the URL in your browser

Then click on MAY 29TH 2008.

Yoga for Brain Injury

Here's another article I wrote earlier this year and published on EzineArticles. I thought folks might find it valuable here as well:

Yoga for Brain Injury


For people recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion or head trauma, yoga offers gentle exercise with therapeutic benefits. Many survivors find themselves unable to pursue former ways of staying in shape. Balance difficulties, loss of motor control, vertigo, and neck injuries limit physical activity, further restricting an already curtailed lifestyle. Fortunately, a yoga practice can adapt itself to any illness or injury, lending itself particularly well to TBI recovery.

Where to start? With yoga's recent popularity in the West, students can now choose anything from hot yoga to Kundalini to Ashtanga. People with neck or back injuries in addition to head trauma probably want to begin with a teacher trained in Iyengar yoga, which uses props to support proper alignment without strain. Kripalu trained teachers also tend to offer calmer, restorative classes. Any yoga class that emphasizes flow (not too fast, though) will help retrain sequential processing-an advantage for people who suffered damage to their left-brain or rational side. A vinyasa sequence links breath and movement, emphasizing step-by-step progression in a set order. Learning and remembering such movements through repetition becomes a form of cognitive therapy.

Before beginning a yoga practice, survivors should talk with their treatment providers, as well as their intended yoga instructor. Most teachers ask about injuries in the beginning of class, but few people understand the intricacies of TBI on their own. Explain any unusual sensitivities or restrictions you experience and ask the instructor for recommendations within his or her own class, or for suggestions on where to find more compatible classes. Yoga is supposed to support and nurture growth, not exhaust the body and nervous system.

For this reason, survivors might initially want to stay away from Kundalini Yoga or Bikram Yoga, both of which offer intense workouts. Kundalini Yoga aims to awaken dormant energy potential, which sounds like a good thing for TBI survivors. Indeed, it can help tremendously--once neurons have stopped misfiring and "short-circuiting." Most survivors inaccurately gage their stamina, though, easily over-stimulating themselves. Kundalini Yoga works powerfully on subtle levels, making energy levels more difficult to monitor. Sometimes the rapidly awakened kundalini proves too much for a sensitive TBI survivor. Bikram Yoga takes place in a very hot room, moving rapidly through poses that encourage the sweating of toxins. As with Kundalini, adherents of Bikram rave about its benefits. For a hypersensitive survivor, though, the excessive heat, body odor, and physicality of Bikram make it a less safe option. In the beginning, look instead for class titles like: "Restorative," "Beginner," "Iyengar," "Kripalu" and "Gentle."

Yoga Journal offers many DVD's, in case survivors prefer to learn in the comfort of their homes. Start with short sessions to build up mental and physical stamina. Twenty minute DVD's allow survivors a sense of accomplishment, without the potential fatigue caused by hour or hour and a half long in-person classes. Downward Dog Productions with Sarah Bates also offers accessible yoga DVD workouts designed especially for people with disabilities. At-home yoga workouts take most of the expense out of learning yoga, too, since survivors can invest in one or two DVD's to practice every day, rather than paying for class each time. On the other hand, a good yoga teacher can personalize routines to support survivors' own unique health challenges.

Besides sculpting lean, strong muscles and naturally realigning the spine, yoga offers TBI survivors a chance to reconnect with their bodies in a positive way. Robin Cohn, a TBI survivor and Vice President of the New York State Brain Injury Association, recognized the transformative effects of yoga in her own recovery: "I began with a beginner's gentle yoga class, where I slowly started to get atrophied muscles moving once again. The more I went, the better I began to feel." Inspired, she began co-teaching yoga classes designed especially for other survivors. "These students are so thrilled to have the opportunity to be practicing yoga and reaping the wonderful benefits of asana and pranayam (breathing). ... The happiness, tranquility and peace that yoga brings to them is so rewarding! Their smiles just say so much about how happy they are to be practicing."

Yoga brings awareness from 5000+ years of connecting human body, mind and spirit. It began as a means of calming the endocrine system and relaxing the body so that practitioners could sit longer in meditation. These calming, strengthening and relaxing effects make it an ideal practice for TBI survivors whose systems run on constant overload. Slowing down and bringing oneself to center can help anyone deal with stress. For TBI survivors, though, yoga offers a glimpse of not just "normal" functioning; yoga also brings the chance for optimal health and well-being. Many practitioners experience peace and self-acceptance for the first time in their lives, including pre-injury. Yoga becomes part of a greater awakening (facilitated by TBI)-helping survivors to find and appreciate the hidden blessings of their journey.

Laura Bruno is a Life Coach, Medical Intuitive and Reiki Master Teacher. In addition to private coaching and intuitive sessions, she teaches Conscious Eating 101 classes, Intuition workshops and Reiki Certification classes around the country and in Northern California. http://www.internationalrenaissancecoaching.com/

Laura also authored the long-awaited book If I Only Had a Brain Injury: A TBI Survivor and Life Coach's Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Concussion, Lyme Disease, Migraine or Other "Medical Mystery," now available at http://www.ifionlyhadabraininjury.com/, Amazon and select bookstores and online retailers.