Would you let a diagnosis of dystonia turn you inside out?
Could it make you forget how to see the good in life?
It may be time.
Time to cue the laughter.
Impart humor.
Reinvent your perspective.
Or maybe invite Rogers Hartman over for dinner.
Hartman is a woman who lives with a rare neurological disorder known as dystonia and sees the world sideways. And I mean that literally as well as figuratively. Dystonia causes Hartman’s muscles to pull her body to the right.
She sometimes lives in unbearable pain.
Depending on the day, she may be twisted more and more to the right. She has every reason to cry – and she does.
But as a guest speaker on the Today Show, Oprah, and several other talk shows, Hartman also raises awareness of living with dystonia and brings her “badass” attitude with her.
Even better, she shares her life perspective and sarcastic wit – sometimes dry and deadpan (but completely loveable) as she explains her therapy of choice:
“For now, I will take my medications as prescribed, I will eat when I can, I will look forward to many shots of Botox, and I will do better with my physical therapy.
Oh, and the Chardonnay. Which, now that I think about it, is a lot cheaper than a therapist.”
Bring It On
We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, and it’s true.
Laughter relieves stress, elevates mood, enhances creativity, and makes you more resilient.
But it’s not just good for your emotional and physical health.
It’s good for your soul.
All these challenges we have to face as life moves forward clearly rob us of that playful frame of mind where humor lives.
Let the Light In
Most situations are not as bleak as they appear to be when looked at from a playful and humorous point of view.
Humor can help you reframe problems that might otherwise seem overwhelming and damage your own existence.
People who have access to their sense of humor in the midst of stressful times are much more resilient than the rest of us.
They are emotionally more flexible and can bend without breaking in the midst of the most difficult circumstances.
Be Brave and Laugh
Why is it so difficult to laugh in the midst of our own awkward moments?
Sometimes those moments are wrapped in dark thoughts: pity, self-criticism, and belittling.
Make the effort to find the light side of all these situations.
Discover in you a playful frame of mind for enjoying and initiating any kind of humor.
This is Dystonia
Dystonia is a movement disorder.
Dystonia makes your muscles fight each other.
Dystonia’s a jerk.
Don’t be like dystonia.
Yes, don’t be like dystonia. Be brave and laugh. Be like Rogers Hartmann.
