Do happiness workshops make you happy?

I was invited along to a birthday party of an old university friend last week. As always, it was good to get out, catch up with old acquaintances and meet new people.

However, this was also a party with a difference, since my friend had arranged to kick things off with a happiness workshop. These are all the rage here in France ('atelier de rire') and increasingly used by businesses as a pick-me-up for staff.

The session involved us standing in a circle and being incited to do silly things, make animal noises, introduce ourselves in funny ways etc. The routines were inventive but most finished by asking participants to let rip with a real belly laugh.

If I'm fair, the session worked as best it could. The animator was excellent (a trained actor and business coach) and everyone participated fully and freely - in what some might have found embarrassing circumstances.

However, the problem with laughter workshops lays with their conception. Laughter is a spontaneous outflow of emotion. It's not something you can liberate by asking or inciting people to be happy. Forcing yourself to laugh artificially turns out to be rather depressing. For when you laugh in a genuine way, there's an upwelling of positive feelings which accompany the action. Laughing for the sake of it lacks that warm emotion and, in its absence, feels hollow and rather sad.

I wouldn't say the session flopped, since it broke the ice and strangers felt they knew each other by the end of the hour's workout; the party got off to a great start as a consequence. However, as in most things in life, the real deal is when people laugh in an authentic, genuine way.

If you have a Young Brain and associate with other Young Brains, chances are you do not need the rather artificial prompt of a laughter coach. Your life will be already filled with fun and the laughter tears will flow regularly and copiously.

On another subject, I've recently come across a couple of good blogs for older 'Young Brains'. Have a look at http://getreadyforretirement.co.uk and http://www.sixtyplussurfers.com

Hopes and Fears. What do people really think about ageing?

Ever since we wrote our book about fighting the ageing process, we've had lots of people come up expressing their hopes and fears about getting old. It's certainly a topic which arouses high emotions!

Common debates are: is it better to grow old gracefully? Should we really regret our youth? Is it possible that we don't get wiser as we get older? Can we really remain youthful into our 60s and 70s?

The Guardian newspaper carried a piece about ageing this week. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/12/charlie-brooker?commentpage=5

As is often the case, the interest came from the comments, rather than the article itself. Here are a few of the opinions of readers about ageing:

Having just suffered another birthday I realise that the older I get the more I try and act as some sort of self-appointed lighthouse-keeper, trying to dissuade those lucky to be younger than me to steer clear from the rocks of addled age I imagine I ran aground upon years ago.

I hate looking back on all the chances I've wasted in my life. Why couldn't I see that I wasn't fat, that I wasn't ugly, that I really could have done anything I wanted to do if I'd only worked a bit harder and been prouder of myself?

Dunno what all the fuss is about. I'm 71 and think that aging is great fun. Usually up before 3am whence I take my dog for a 4 mile walk. Dance 4/5 times a week, play bridge 3 times a week, hike/backup/ camp every weekend, writing 2 books (already written 50). July backpacked 6 days in Sierra Nevada, Aug camped out on ferry Alaska. This weekend backpacking Catalina Island 3 days. end of month NZ for 5 weeks.

I used to shave my ears and cut my nose hair, but recently I've let it all grow into a comb over to cover my balding head.

38? 48? 58? If you feel OK, why worry? If you're obsessing about your age, you obviously aren't having enough fun.

I would say the point at which you stop being interested in anything new that is happening and constantly harp on about the good old years is the point at which you become old. For some this happens when they are young 21,22,23,24 others are able to keep a youthful vitality. My point of view is to do everything you can until the point that you physically can't. Physically many people are able to do a lot into their 60s and 70s.

Reading through the hundreds of comments, it was easy to divide the readers into two camps. Those with a positive outlook on ageing who were ready to face the battle by staying youthful and those ready to give up and get depressed about the prospect.

If you are one of those in the positive camp, read our book ('You Can Be As Young As You Think') for helpful hints on how to stay fresh, sharp and in touch.