🎙️ Show Notes: Unleashing Your Inner Child: The Importance of Laughter and Play in Life 🤪 with Katy Maag

In this episode of Mealtime Magic & Mayhem, host Tricia Clark welcomes laughter yoga teacher and therapist, Katy Maag, to explore the joyful benefits of laughter. 🌟

Tricia and Katy dive into the power of laughter and play, starting with a hilarious family casserole mishap. 🍲 They discuss how even kitchen failures can lead to laughter and connection around the table. 😂

With personal stories of caregiving and health struggles, Katy highlights the importance of managing stress and seeking joy in life. 🌈 They also share insights from Katy's books, including "Cinderella Monologues." 📚

As a laughter yoga leader, Katy demonstrates deep breathing exercises that combine laughter and relaxation techniques. 🌬️🤣 These exercises release "extra junky air" and can be used to manage stress-related health issues. 💆

The conversation explores the transformative power of laughter to change perspective, relieve stress, and promote wellness. 😄 Katy explains how laughter yoga can bring people into the present moment and let their inner child come out to play. 🧒

Tricia discusses the connection between food, laughter, and creating magic and memories around the table. 🍽️ They invite listeners to share their funny kitchen mishaps, which will be featured on an upcoming episode. 🥳

Don't miss this inspiring and laughter-filled episode with Katy Maag as she guides us on the path to unlocking our inner child and finding joy through laughter and play! 🎉

🔊 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform and join the laughter revolution! 🎧

Connect with Katy for laughter yoga and stress management: https://www.facebook.com/KMWellnessConsulting

Find Katy's book, The Cinderella Monologues here:

The Cinderella Monologues: Inspiring true stories from women who overcame adversity to thrive https://a.co/d/hp43JUY

Reach out to Tricia for mindset around food and meal planning:

Connect with Trish Free Strategy Call: https://link.feacreate.com/widget/bookings/connectwithtrish

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/tricia.clark.161

Tired to Inspired Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tiredtoinspiredcooking

📣 Call to Action: Share your funniest kitchen mishap! Your story could be featured on an upcoming episode! 😆

#LaughterYoga #InnerChild #StressManagement #MealtimeMagic #MagicAndMayhem #Podcast #Food #LaughterRevolution #PlayfulLiving

This is the Mealtime, Magic and Mayhem podcast. I'm Tricia Clark, your host, cooking coach, and kitchen mentor. We're here to talk about all things food, wine, travel, cocktails, and mealtime memories. So many memories are made around the table. We all know mealtime can be stress, full of chaos and mayhem. But it's also the universal connector, a catalyst for communication and connection and a time to create magic and memories. So many of our memories are tied to food, and I can't wait to share some of those stories with you here. I'm here to share ideas, inspiration, and stories to help you experience mealtime. With a dash of magic and just a sprinkle of mayhem, you can expect new episodes weekly, including a mixture of interviews, personal stories, and some fun conversations about our adventures and misadventures in the kitchen and around the table. I hope you walk away feeling inspired to try something new in your kitchen or around your table to create more connection with your friends, family and beyond. Thanks for being here. Hey there, my listeners of Mealtime, Magic and Mayhem podcast. I'm super excited about our guest today, and I'm going to learn something alongside with you. I'm bringing in Katie Mag, and she is a Laughter Yoga teacher and therapist. She helps bring laughter and wellness to all the ages. So before starting to practice Laughter Yoga, katie worked for over 30 years as a nurse. During this time, she's helped patients obtain better health after a heart related incident with exercise and education. She also realized that stress is really hard on people and that people often faced with troubles, forget to laugh and help release the stress. So true. We get caught up in our own nonsense and we forget to take a breath and really soak in enjoy the moment. Laughter has many benefits, including stress reduction, increasing energy, and even enhancing mental and physical well being. She's been a speaker for 30 plus years, a wealth of knowledge and experience, and I can't wait to learn more about Laughter Yoga. So katie welcome.

Thank you for having me, Tricia.

All right, so this is Mealtime and Magic Mayhem podcast. So we're going to start off with a little bit of fun and a little bit about food. And then we're going to shift gears into really learning more about Laughter Yoga, and then we'll talk about how all people can get in touch with you. So I always love to start with a fun question. And your table topic question today is, what TV host would you want to interview you? And my favorite part of these questions is and why?

Oh, my heavens. I don't know. A lot of the interviews. I mean, I do go to The Hill and advocate for heart health and I don't know, political one would be kind of fun. Not really. I mean, they're a little more serious than I'm used to. Kelly Ripa maybe that could be fun. I think so. And I think Aisha Taylor, because I do improv and I think we could banter back and forth and have a really good time.

Oh, I want to see you guys co host a Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Oh, that'd be fun. Wouldn't that be a oh, yeah, we.

Watched reruns of that all the time and it never fails to just I mean, it doesn't matter how many times we've seen it, and it doesn't matter how lewd, crude, ridiculous or just bonkers it gets. We laugh so hard at that show. I would love to see one of those live. I just think that would be amazing.

I'm actually part of an improv group. We meet together on Wednesday afternoon. There is two retired engineers, so you can imagine they're very structured, a retired school teacher, retired judge, and you would think they are so hilarious and so quick witted and so fun. I just can't beat it.

That sounds amazing. Oh, my gosh, that would be so much fun. It's too bad you're in Ohio and I'm in Arkansas, because that would be super fun to go check that out.

Actually, we do it online. Really?

Oh, my gosh. OK, we're going to need the link to that. Everybody needs more of that in their life.

Actually, there's a video of us doing it. It's out there somewhere. I'll have to find it.

But yeah, I was doing a little research on laughter yoga and I found this article and apparently actor Carl Reiner in an interview and he was 96 at the time. Laughter is my first priority. Every day he would tickle himself before he got out of bed, like he wanted to start his day with laughter. And I just think that's amazing. I'm not about to tickle myself. Tickling is not my form of laughter at all, not even a little. But I think that just speaks volumes to living to 96 years old, right?

Well, look at Betty White. She was 99, almost 100, and she was very quick witted and very laughing all the time. I mean, what isn't there not to like about laughter? Actually, babies, that's one of the first reactions or interactions they have with their parents, is laughter. It's smiling, then laughter.

Yeah, you're right. And isn't it sad that somewhere along the way we kind of lose that as we get bogged down, conditioned, whatever the word is that you want to use, and we lose that child wonder that happens with every new experience, right, creates those moments of laughter. And I love to tie that together with in my business, we're all about food and how do we create more connection around the table and how do we create situations of more laughter and really challenging women to even embrace your failures in the kitchen? And I hate to use the word failure, but I know that's how it makes us feel. So keep in mind, I'm using this as feeling like a failure. The kitchen mishaps that we have when things don't turn out the way we thought they would, or the food's gross and we don't love it and the kids don't love it. You'll hear me say many times, even bad food can create conversation and laughter. So embrace those moments and laugh it off, right? It doesn't have to be so difficult. The kitchen can be fun. I did a live video a few months ago, and I was making these meatballs, and I love doing live video. I'm so comfortable with it. And I'm like, yeah, making these meatballs, they're beautiful. I look down, I put them in the oven, I look over and I've got two prep bowls full of ingredients that never went in the meatballs right there in front of me, and I just laughed it off. And I was like, we'll just see how they turn out.

Think about holidays and stuff when you were growing up, think about the holidays where there was a mishap. You probably still go back and laugh about those.

We do.

Right? That's what memories are made of. If you can laugh at yourself, oh, my gosh, I made a mistake, or I had something that, oh, okay. Those are the best memories. It honestly is. If you ever have a family member that's ill or whatever, it always goes back and you always go to the kitchen. The kitchen is the center of the home, I swear, because everybody goes there. You go to somebody's house, where does most people sit? Right in the middle of the kitchen. Right there. There's a conversation. Boom.

Absolutely. In fact, my mother used to make this casserole, and it was this layered casserole. I wonder if I would even like it as an adult, actually. But it was layers of rice and ground beef and cream corn, which I don't even like, and tomatoes. But as kids, very few things my mother cooked because I was a really picky eater. Why I ate this, I don't really understand. But my sister decided to make it once, and rather than topping it with paprika, she topped it with a ton of cinnamon. And it was awful. And I don't think she ever made that recipe again. But it's hilarious because it's one of those family staples that we all loved it. That story has lived for 30 plus years, which is just hilarious to me. But again, we've all had a good laugh about it over and over again. So share a little bit with me about I get the sense that you've really figured out what works for you when it comes to meal planning and meal time and cooking, and you clearly don't take things too seriously, which is amazing. So what does that look like for you? What have you found that really works for you that might help give somebody else an idea of something different to try?

What I do is I like to plan ahead because sometimes if I eat out some food kind of bothered my stomach, some food doesn't, but you just never know. Like when I go to work, I thought, oh, I'm going to eat this and it's going to be okay. Well, I was in distress the rest of the afternoon, so I just better off that I prep ahead. So I like to do freezer meals ahead or prep ahead meals. One of them that's like a famous one here is upside down pizza casserole.

Tell me more about that. That sounds amazing.

Oh, it is so easy. It's got hamburger, and you could do hamburger or sausage or whatever. And you brown that and you put the onions, which you normally do. And then I put spaghetti sauce in it and then you cook that. I'm trying to think what's all in it. Now that I'm thinking about it, I think it's sour cream in it above that.

Okay.

And then I put the pepperonis and the cheese then. And then you take the top is actually crescent rolls and you roll that on top. And I always put a little bit of garlic butter on top. Or I take garlic and put butter, like when you go to the restaurants and you have the sesame seeds on that. Well, that on top and that freezes.

Well after you've cooked it, I have.

Froze it and it comes out fine.

So is that one that you cook it then freeze it versus freezing it and then cooking it? Okay. Correct.

That is one. I'll be honest, I can make one. And there's four of us. I have two adult children, 20 year old and 23 year old, and then my husband and I, and one of those will make us about two meals.

Oh, wow. But that's great. Depends.

Somebody's really hungry though. Not so much.

Our kids are the same age. Sounds like we're in very similar life stages as well.

Could be.

Okay, so do you have any others that are like I know you mentioned upside down pizza. Is there another one? Or if you had a couple of tips that you were going to give somebody who was new to meal prepping or freezer meals from your own experience, what would a couple of those tips be?

Chicken breasts. You can make a lot with chicken breast or noodles. Hamburger Helper is okay, but you can make your own homemade Hamburger Helper just by certain ingredients. I do like to do some of the freezer meals and you put them in the freezer and then just throw it in the crock pot or you can put it in the oven, either one. With that we make a chicken cordon blue soup, but that's got ham and it's got chicken and it's got potato gnocchi in it and some cream at the end and Swiss cheese. So it's chicken cordon blue in a casserole but in a soup form that goes real well. That's real easy. That's when you can freeze. You get the soup bone at Easter or Thanksgiving time, you always have that soup bone. What are you going to do with it? Perfect. I like to do that. That's an easy one. I'm trying to think some of the other ones I do that are real easy. Spaghetti, I mean that's an easy staple one.

Those are great ideas. And for you listeners, I will find recipes or come up with a recipe for the Upside down pizza casserole and we'll be sure to link it in the show notes whether Katie shares hers or we'll put both those links in the show notes. And Freezer Meals are a great way to take the stress off. They're great for planning ahead, but they're also great for those nights when you forgot to plan ahead and you're not really sure what to do.

Well, actually I had got this program through Passionate Penny Pinchers and she has like recipes. Like I bought the Freezer Meal, so it has five recipes for the week and then it gives one dessert. So it gives you twelve weeks of recipes and then one dessert. And I got an app on my phone called Recipe Index. But you can just pop it in there. The recipe is in there. It will populate if you're going to say because my husband doesn't cook unless I kind of leave a detail. It's Recipe Keeper is the app and you can download that app costs I think it's like $5. It's not much, but you can plan ahead what you're going to do. And the Freezer Meals actually have like cards that go with it that gives you instructions. You can do a PDF or you can do cards and you can say what you need to do that prep for that.

Cool, cool. I'll put that link in the show notes. We all need to find the resources that work for us. I love Pinterest and I love Google, but they can absolutely be a rabbit hole. And so we all need ways to keep us out of that. Google Pinterest rabbit hole. I use an app called Plantoeat.com in a lot of my programs where you can save all your favorite recipes or import the URL and then it has a drag and drop meal planning option. From there it creates your grocery list. Okay, same here.

And it'll actually write out, it'll tell you planner. Like if you have the recipe and you have it in there and you have it in the cart or you have it in your cupboard, you can take that off that list. So it's easy if you want to use that. And then your Walmart ad, wherever you get your groceries, that just bring it out to you. I've done that more than once, trust me.

Yeah, I don't go to the store anymore unless I absolutely have to.

I spend too much that way.

Same, let's shift gears into laughter yoga. Share with us a little bit about what laughter yoga is. I am a practicer of yoga. I do laugh a lot, but I'm not really familiar with laughter yoga.

That's such a great point. And there's a lot of people out there teaching breathing through stress and all those are great. But I've never really thought about the fact when I go to center myself, I always focus on the breath. Really ever connected that to the laughter piece. But you're absolutely right.

When you actually laugh, you actually take a very full deep breath. So you increase your oxygen by 50%. So there's physical benefits to it. I also do stress management classes and actually 70 90% of all family doctors visits go relate back to stress. So you can have physical ailments from stress. You can have emotional ailments from stress. You can have mental illness from mental problems, from stress, like forgetting your phone and things that simple can be related back to stress. It's very interesting. When I first started it, you increase your oxygen by 50%. So when you do that, you think more outside the box also. And it's also a collaborator because they use it in companies. Actually in Moonbot, India, they actually use it in their corporations before they even start their day and in schools.

That's amazing. Can you imagine if every company or even corporation started their day with making their people laugh? What a better work environment people would have would be crazy.

Well, it puts you in a positive spin versus, oh my God, I got to do my job again, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Because here's the study. The studies show that even if you're not involved in somebody's conversation and they're behind you and you hear them, your cortisol level, your stress level raises even without even being in their conversation. So you think about somebody who's always constantly complaining or grumpy. Your cortisol is level is high without even being involved just because you're hearing it.

Yeah. And their energy is contagious. Correct.

But also some of the positive energy is contagious. Also, have you ever been at Stoplight Car next to you?

They're laughing.

You see them laughing, you start laughing. You don't even know what they're laughing at. But it's funny.

It is, yeah. So true. I love to hear you talk about that because one of my big things is about bringing laughter to the table and bringing conversation to the table. I do that through a myriad of table topics, questions, and we always asked our kids, what was the worst part of your day? The best part of your day? And then I always ended with what was the weirdest part of your day? Because it was guaranteed to make it something that would make us laugh or just to get the conversation stirred a different way than how was your day today? Or what did you learn? They don't want to talk about school anymore than we want to talk about work, quite honestly. Right. And so what are some of the things that you tap into when you're laughter starters, I guess, if you will.

We do deep breathing exercises. I like to start where I have the person scan their body to see where their level is. Zero is, oh, my gosh, I'm horrible.

Today.

Ten is so amazing. I don't know why I'm here. And scan your body first before we even do it because it's kind of hard if you don't do that. You don't have a reference from where you start to where you're done, where did you go, how much benefit did you feel like you got? Because if you ask at the end if they've not had a scale beforehand, it's going to be kind of murky. So qualitative versus quantitative data. The qualitative not as well, but that's how we range it. But I even have people sometimes when I get on a meeting with somebody, because it's easier to feel more grounded, is just do a couple of deep breathing exercises. It's just a matter of breathing in. And we can do that right now if you want. So we'll just practice right now. Take a deep breath in and exhale. And take another deep breath in and hold and exhale. Now, this time we're going to laugh when we exhale just to get all that extra junky air out of there. Okay, so you want to take a deep breath in and laugh out. Usually I do that twice because that's usually kind of one. But usually the second laugh is usually hardier laugh. And then that's a good way to start our meeting because that bonded us a little bit. And then we can be on the kind of the same page.

Oh, that's beautiful. So do you teach these classes online or just in person?

I do in person. I actually go into some corporations and help them with some of their actually, I'm two years into bi therapeutic humor. So I don't know if you've ever heard of them. It's an organization that is spreading humor throughout the world. Do you know who Patch Adams? The doctor? The movie about the doctor?

Yeah.

He is a real person and he really is part of this movement, humor and how much it benefits people. So I'm part of the Applied Therapeutic humorous. It'll take me another year and a half to become certified. Applied therapeutic humorous. They use it in Johns Hopkins with their patients for pain control. Sometimes they use it because even with laughter, it helps your T cells and B cells with cancer. So there was norman Cousins is a famous person who was told he had cancer. He was in the hospital. He checked himself out of hospital. He went straight to a hotel and just watched comedies, which helped him. If nothing else. It helped his mood, but it actually helped him. They said cancer was almost all gone. So you think about mindset with that?

Yeah, I mean, mindset is such a critical piece of all of it. Right. So I guess it's easy for us, I feel like, to think of the people, the things, the shows, the movies that make us laugh. But in the absence of those, what do you recommend that people do to tap into that?

You can laugh at anything. You can laugh at the absurdity thinking how the trees open up. I was laughing this afternoon. My husband's one of them. That toilet papers goes to the back of the roll. I'm the one that goes in the front of the roll. His is notoriously, always unrolled. Mine usually not, but apparently we've gotten a teeth rolls over the top. Exactly. No, mine did not. Mine unraveled today. I'm in there, I'm in the bathroom. Thank goodness I had toilet paper. I'm not complaining of that. And all of a sudden got some off and I got done doing my job. All of a sudden I hear and the whole toilet paper roll was on the floor.

No evidence.

I'm glad I had some. And no cat, otherwise we would have had toilet paper everywhere.

Oh, that's funny. That's really funny.

And it's just something silly. And think about how kids laugh three to 400 times a day, adults 17. Why be a kid? Remind yourself of just some of the simple things in life. Let yourself play. I have to laugh. I can tell the people who really stress when I come walking in. And I have a poster that says, Caution adults at play. You can tell the adults that really are stressed because I'm pretty sure some of them are about ready to have a heart attack on me. And it's like, relax, I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. I actually have toys on my desk. You can't see that. One thing I have is poo because shit always hits a fan. Yes, it's called poo doo. And this thing is the first thing that people take off my table. You throw it against the wall, and it comes down. I've had people that are friends that go to the hospital. I will send some with them, which is funny. I have this laughter pill.

That gut laugh. There's nothing better than the sound of a child gut laugh. There's just oh, yes. I got oh, my gosh. Yeah. Oh, how fun. Are you planning to launch something online?

Yeah, I believe that. I mean, I am at the risk of sharing too much with my listeners. I have some digestive issues, but my number one trigger for all of those things to rear their ugly head is stress. And so managing my diet is a big part of it. Managing the types of foods that I eat. I don't diet, but the foods that I eat and the foods that I choose, I have to be conscious of. Much like you said, when I go out to eat, there are things that cannot settle well. But if I'm stressed, the struggle is exponential. Stress is my number one trigger, and so that makes complete sense to me. And that stress can affect so many things about the health heart digestive. Just even think panic attacks. There's so many people I know that end up they go to the hospital because they think they're having a heart attack and they can't find anything wrong. And it's that overwhelming panic, that overwhelming stress. And so I think the work that you do is absolutely incredible and so necessary. I know I'm probably asking some really mundane questions that seem like no brainers. Like, how do you tap into that laughter in the absence of all those things when you're super stressed, right? And so I think for those that are carrying around that stress, really having to take a moment to think about what are the things that make me laugh? And can you make yourself laugh in that moment? Can you tap into that? And if they can't, do you just recommend those deep breathing techniques to get to get there?

Actually, deep breathing just alone can get you out of that moment. Laughter actually changes your perspective. That's why when you ever see an email from me, that's one of the things I put on there. Laughter changes your perspective because it does because it does give you deep breath. It gives you that extra moment to think about the next step, because you're in the present moment when you're in that laughter or even that deep breath. So it's very imperative I suggest people, if they're having a problem, some things can't be talked through or walked through or whatever, and then definitely see professional assistance. But 70, 90% of all family doctors visits relate back to stress, whether it be eye twitching, whether it means blood pressure backache because your muscles tighten up. Then my first laughter yoga session, I had to laugh, actually was an intense session. We laid back and did the one relaxation technique. We sat up and everybody looked younger because their facial muscles relaxed. And I'm like, yes. The fountain of youth, here I come. Just a little tickle. And you can tell the people who laugh a lot because they have laugh lines. And I used to be embarrassed that I had laugh lines and now I'm like, well, whatever, you don't like it, don't look. No, I earned those. I know I did. I earned them too.

Yeah, I earned those. I just can't say enough about how amazing that I think your work is, honestly.

Thank you. I'm trying to get the word out. I'm trying to build it even more. Like I said, I'm part of the applied therapeutic. Humorous. I talked to an organization this morning. I had a conversation with a couple of other podcasts today. They're going to get out there also. I'm willing to work. I've got some clients now. Always more, I know, being a caregiver. As I said, I have a 23 year old. I learned to do stress management then. I did stress management since I was a kid. I've actually have co authored in two books this year. One is Cinderella Monologues and my chapter is called Season with Wisecracks. Because I'm older and I got wisecracks, but I always use laughter and I didn't realize I used laughter until I didn't. My oldest son was a pound and 12oz at birth. He had a trach for three and a half years. Meal planning and stuff was very difficult because I had to be right there. I. Didn't have much help and I didn't realize how much I needed that until I got sick. My younger son was born. I started limping. I had some medical conditions and some of it, if I'm stressed, is 20 times worse than if I'm or if I can keep it under control. It does make a difference. You wouldn't think it would, but it does. In mindset, I'm human. And the humankind, I think we all, as humankind, kind of forget we need to be kind to us.

Yes, absolutely. Well, where can everybody get in touch with you, follow you, reach you? What would you like them to do to get in touch with you?

Oh, please. I have a Facebook page called Km Wellness Consulting. I also have a LinkedIn page. Km Wellness Consulting. Or you can look up Katie. I tell everybody I'm boring, but I'm probably not really boring. I just kind of say that because I think I might be, but I think I am.

So far you've got a wealth of experience, you laugh a ton, you're involved in improv. I would hardly say you're boring.

I'm quick witted, maybe.

I don't quick witted, for sure.

Yes. Well, I have to laugh because we live in a very rural area and somebody said that we were at Phoenix and they said, oh, you're very quick with it. I said, look, my nearest neighbors are cows. You have to build your own entertainment.

I'm just saying the cows are probably a tough crowd.

They are a busy don't do a move.

It's been such a pleasure to talk to you. We will definitely drop your links in the show notes. I would love to drop the links to your recipes in the show.

Yep.

And you guys remember that laughter and what Katie's talking about really taps into the same energy as when I'm talking about bringing joy and connection to the table. Both really create a supportive and positive environment for you to get out of the stress and overwhelm and really thrive. All of it really is interconnected. So if you need help destressing, be sure to contact Katie. And if the meal prepping and the food planning and some of those things hit home with you and you need help with mindset around food and meal planning and figuring out what works for you, get in touch with me. My last call to action. Given the laughter we've had in this conversation, it has inspired another podcast episode I want to hear. I want you to send me all of your crazy kitchen mishaps that have been carried down through your family and I want to share your stories on a podcast episode. So if you want to type those up and send them to me and get in touch with me or send me a voice clip, I think that would be hilarious. And one way for me to help Katie spread the magic of laughter.

Oh, thank you. Yes, definitely I could tell you share.

It with us before we go.

Okay. So my aunt's husband, while he had a friend and he was a single man, bachelor, whatever, and he just loved her tuna noodle casserole. She made tuna noodle casserole? Well, lo and behold, he was just a ranting and raving about it. Here, she forgot to put the tuna in it.

So it's really noodles and sauce that he loves, not necessarily the tuna, which makes total sense to me. That's hilarious. I'd probably eat twice as much tuna dude casserole without the tuna no. That's great.

So when you said that, I had to tell that story.

Yeah. So thank you again. We will talk again soon. And thank you again so much. I hope you have an amazing rest of your day and enjoy your holiday weekend. Thank you.

You also.

Thanks so much for listening. And if you enjoyed this episode, please go hit that follow button. Subscribe. Leave us a review. And if you're ready to change what mealtime looks like for you, breaking that cycle of chaos and having more fun in the kitchen. Build some confidence and discover your love of cooking. Schedule your free dish with Trish. Call at the link in the show notes. We'll chat a few minutes and you'll walk away with personalized strategies to take your mealtime routine from tired to inspired. See you next time.