Catching up with Karyn

"She had the attention span of a goldfish in a bowl of Red Bull!"

Have you ever heard a phrase that made you laugh and instantly understand a complex idea? That's the power of humorous metaphors in leadership.

Why Humorous Metaphors Matter:

1. Instant understanding: They paint vivid pictures in listeners' minds.
2. Memorability: Humor makes your message stick.
3. Connection: Laughter increases likability and strengthens relationships.
4. Efficiency: Complex ideas conveyed in simple, relatable terms.

Smart leaders and coaches leverage these linguistic tools to:

• Communicate more effectively
• Engage their audience deeply
• Make their messages unforgettable

Pro Tip: Create a "go-to file" of powerful metaphors you encounter. They're goldmines for future use!

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Ready to supercharge your communication skills? Join my upcoming event starting Wednesday, September 18th. Learn to craft compelling metaphors, use humor strategically, and transform your leadership presence.

Don't let this opportunity...

We all know the old saying: “Laughter is the best medicine.”  

And it’s true! When you laugh, you’re: 

• Relieving anxiety
• Decreasing stress
• Giving people a socially acceptable way to express their anger 

But many of you probably already know this. So, why is it important? Well, according to a study, laughter, and the stress reduction that comes out of it, can improve one’s memory and learning ability as we age! Crazy, right?! Allow me to save you some time and summarize this awesome finding:  

Chronic stress, manifested in the hormone cortisol, takes a toll on your brain over time, eating away at your learning and memory functions. When you laugh, you reduce cortisol levels, increasing your memory and recall functions, as well as your capacity to learn. 

All this to say, who couldn’t use more memory space in the hard drive that is your...

So, you want to make people laugh, huh? That’s easy! Okay, maybe not. But don’t worry! I’m here to help. Let’s dive into some scenarios and I’ll give you some things to keep in mind before your meeting, performance, company party, or whatever you’ve got going on! 

There are a lot of steps to leveraging other people’s laughter. So, let’s break it down. 

What’s the setting?

• Are you in a meeting?
• Are you performing?
• Are you at work?
• Are you at a company party?

The setting matters! Things that are allowed to be said during a performance versus a business meeting are COMPLETELY different.

Be sure to keep in mind: 

1. Where you are
2. Who you’re with

Before letting all of your family holiday party jokes fly, consider your audience. If you have to think about whether or not something is appropriate—play it safe and leave it out. You’re a creative person! Find a better alternative.

Details, Details,...

Here’s a question: Do you think you’re funny?

Or better yet, do you think you have a sense of humor? These are important questions to think about when you’re about to set off on a humor journey. Maybe you think you’re really funny, or maybe you wish that you could just get one laugh out of your kids now and then (corny jokes might not land so well on the younger generation). Wherever you might be on your humor journey, it’s important to know that you can always change or better your humor abilities.

Like I’ve been saying for years: it’s more important to see funny than to be funny.

Not all humor has to be comedy, and the main thing to focus on is your ability to tap into your appreciation of humor and the things that amuse you because that’s what’s going to cause you the most joy. The idea of doing this is what I call intentionally looking for humor in your everyday life. It’s a perfect example of how to be able to see...

Flying can be stressful any time of the year, but the holiday season can be especially nerve-wracking: Fretful flights. Cranky crews. Pissy passengers. Instead of instructing people to buckle their seatbelts, flight attendants might be better served to have people fasten their straight jackets! If only there was a way to deal with the strain…

But wait—Popeyes Chicken comes to the rescue! Many passengers traveling through the Philadelphia International Airport during Christmas week 2018 skipped the Philly Cheesesteaks and grabbed a to-go box that also served as an Emotional Support Chicken. Yes, I said, “Emotional. Support. Chicken.”

These chickens don’t bite, they’re TSA-friendly, and they’re “cheap” comfort food. (Sorry, I just can’t resist a good chicken pun.)

Popeyes Chicken thought this emotional support animal wouldn’t ruffle any feathers…but they were wrong. PETA and its supporters squawked that this...

Exaggerate and catastrophize icky moments mirthfully until you can put your frustrations in their proper perspective.

Truth is, I don't watch TV much. Mostly it's bad for your health. And honestly most of us don't watch TV as much as we let it drone on in the background until something manages to cut through the clatter.

My stress level begins to climb after just a few minutes of listening to Natalie Morales telling me about the war raging in (name-your-location-here), or Norah O'Donnell telling me about the effects of global warming, or Jean Chatsky telling me I've invested poorly and am going to have to let my favorite child pick out my nursing home. I'll admit it, my chest feels a little tighter, my anxiety is a little higher, and I'm wondering if a glass of Merlot for breakfast would count as a fruit on my Weight Watcher points.

But yesterday something different cut through the clatter. I'm thinking, "Did I hear that right?!"  I stopped what I was doing and looked up. The commercial for Kmart’s gas savings was quick—and by the time I got to where I could see the TV, the ad was...

As a humor researcher, one of the things I’m passionately interested in is the logistics of humor. I want to know what makes something funny. What is it about a joke, silly song, cute cartoon, or comedian’s routine that prompts us to laugh?

This isn’t idle curiosity. If we can identify the essential elements of humor, then we can take proactive steps to introduce those elements into our lives and enjoy more laughter. More laughter means better blood sugar control, lower blood pressure, and more effective stress management – good news for all of us!

One thing that makes the research challenging is the fact that there’s no one universally accepted definition of funny. We don’t all find the same things humorous. Take a show like America’s Funniest Home Videos – a program composed almost entirely of embarrassing moments, pranks, pitfalls, and painfully bad ideas.  Some people watch a would-be daredevil ride his bike off of the roof...

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! I’d like to wish every person reading these words a wonderful Thanksgiving. May your holiday be a wonderful celebration with family and friends – and of course, some great laughs!

Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting on our blessings. This year, we’ve had lots of blessings (and a few blessings in disguise). We’re grateful for *most* of them and for *everything* we’ve taken away from the experience. Most of all, it’s you we’re thankful for. Without such great people to work and laugh with, the world wouldn’t be such a fabulous place.

Using Humor At Thanksgiving

Are you headed for a holiday dinner where younger children will be present? Try memorizing a few silly Thanksgiving riddles. You’ll be giving the kids something to laugh about, keeping them entertained (and out of trouble!) and it may just turn out that their good mood is infectious.

(Our favorite? Why did the police arrest the turkey?...