JOHOR BARU: For the past six years, they would gather online daily without fail, simply to laugh freely.
No judgement, please.
“We conduct online laughter sessions every single day without fail, regardless of weekends or public holidays,” said Johor Baru Happy and Joyous Club founder Fung Lee Jean.
“This is made possible because different members and certified laughter coaches take turns conducting the daily sessions.”
She said the online meetings, which began as a way to stay connected during Covid-19 lockdowns, have since grown into an extraordinary streak of more than 2,266 consecutive days of online laughter sessions.
The free sessions, which last at least 30 minutes, attract participants ranging from those in their 20s to those in their 80s, she said.
“Besides Malaysians, we have participants joining us from Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, Bahrain and Venezuela.
“It is wonderful to see people from different countries and cultures laughing together,” she said, adding that the sessions are held daily at 9am on weekdays and 2pm on weekends.
Fung said each session is usually centred around a theme, often tied to a global celebration or observance.
“Recently, we celebrated International Towel Day during one of our online sessions.
“Our laughter coach demonstrated different ways to laugh with a towel, how to daintily wipe our mouths with a towel, how a towel could be used to shield us from the rain and many other creative actions – all while laughing,” she said.
Other activities include laughter exercises involving pistachio nuts, animal-inspired laughter, laughter aerobics and various imaginative role-playing activities, Fung said.
“As we age, we tend to forget how to laugh and appreciate the simple joys in life. These exercises are aimed at building confidence, creativity and providing a form of emotional release.
“In our modern lifestyle, many people carry pent-up stress, frustration and anger. These free sessions encourage people to laugh more, improve their mental and physical well-being and discover the joy that already exists within them,” she added.
After conducting more than 2,000 consecutive online gatherings, Fung said the club hoped to continue spreading positivity and laughter to the wider community.
