Monday, May 23, 2016

Is #Chewbaccamom just another viral video? Maybe not.

So its another viral video.  Silly mom puts on a silly mask and the internet blows up.  Am I right?

Well, maybe not.  This ones different.  Here's why.

No it wasn't staged. 

If it was, there is a marketing genius out that needs a raise. And if it was, why a Chewbacca mask? That's not the Kohl's demographic. Kohl's just got lucky.

No, there is something here that may stick around for awhile.  Sure the laugh is contagious, but there is something deeper there.  Something real, honest, and organic about Candace Payne.

Some cultures use laughter as medicine.  You may have seen the "laughing classes" in India where people meet in a park to simply laugh.  And of course Patch Adams used it in his medical practice. That red nose is still around.  In fact its "Red Nose Day" this week with a live TV special raising money to free the world from poverty. 

Apparently silly sells.

But its not just the silliness.  Its that deep gut belly laugh that has the physical affect on our bodies and mental well-being.  And that is what keeps us wanting more of this person, @candacepayne.   We want to laugh like her.

But here is why Candace Payne is different.

If you watch her from "the video" on, you can see that she really doesn't change. Watch the videos of GMA, the periscopes, all the other media. She is the same happy person.  Its an organic, real personality that was coming through in that video.

And how does she use her 15 minutes of fame?  What does she do when the world is watching her?  She delivers some great heart-warming moments that truly define who she is.

"I think the world as a whole is in need of a good laugh".  And she delivered that.   She also is not only helping people laugh, but is genuinely happy that they are.  

"I think we’re in need of somebody to lift our spirits, to not take ourselves so seriously, and to maybe break some cynicism worldwide,” she explained. “It just needs to stop, and somebody needs to have a good belly laugh with somebody, and it happened to be me that day."

She really is happy to share this moment with the world.  “The best part of all of this is being able to share joy with people". On the story about the woman whose autistic child had not laughed in months, she said, "And from one mama’s heart to another mama, to see a child laugh that you haven’t seen laugh, those are the stories I will take with me every day.” 

Candace Payne has some qualities that most successful people have.  She has a purpose and an awareness of what she is doing.  She knows that this is her shot.  She is aware the world is watching, and yet she is still focused on who she is. She is not allowing this to change her. Her purpose is her family, happiness and love.  And it shows through.

Let's hope that she can take this message forward.  She has great presence and speaks well.  I can see her doing public speaking on how to have this positive outlook on life.  I can see her helping people, caring for people and really making a difference in people's lives. 

Now for the pessimists and skeptics, well..., you probably haven't read this far.  You're probably off cowering in a corner somewhere, rubbing your cigarette in the ground, angry at the world.  But the reason why this viral sensation will continue is because the world really does need a good laugh.  And some people simply choose to be happy.