A day without laughter is a day wasted.
Do you love The Learning Station's song, Tony Chestnut? If so, you are not alone.
This fun little tune is adored by millions. YouTube is a stomping ground to hundreds of video posts of children, teens and even grownups performing the song's silly movements.
Do a Google search for Tony Chestnut (or Toe Knee Chest Nut) and thousands of sites pop up where folks are blogging, websites are boasting and everyone is sharing their love for the song. Visit a preschool graduation and likely the children are proudly performing Tony Chestnut for their families, and physical education instructors can't get enough of its healthy, cheerful energy. It's even a hit at weddings and anniversaries, proving that the song transcends joy to all, with ageless appeal. There are even marching bands entertaining stadiums with Tony Chestnut, professors calming their test-anxious students with verses, and business speakers employing the song to reenergize their audience. And it's the tune of choice that is shared internationally by leading motivational speakers, so don't be surprised if Tony Chestnut pops in for a rousing performance at your next conference keynote event.
The Secret Behind "Tony Chestnut"
Curious, The Learning Station asked the questions, "Why is our song, Tony Chestnut, loved by so many and by all ages?" And, "Why are people so eager to share their performances of Tony Chestnut online for the world to see?"
Without question the one main ingredient to everyone's response was one word, "LAUGHTER". When you sing Tony Chestnut to infants they gurgle with laugher, preschoolers laugh with delight, older children get a case of the giggles, teens laugh themselves silly and adult's tummies are tickled with a joyful belly laugh. Seemingly, even though they are not an Ellen or a Seinfeld, anyone can step up to the comedian's plate and perform this simple tune that will go directly to the funny bone and bring the room to their knees with satisfying jovial bliss.
Continuous research has proven that when we laugh, it alleviates our stress, gets our minds off our burdens and even if just for that moment, puts us at ease. In times of trouble or turmoil, laughter can actually become our heroes rescue, instantly transporting our minds to a 'happy place' free of chaos. Adding validity to the old adage, "Laughter is the best medicine." In many ways, laughter may be one of the best forms of natural healing and an innate healthy, relaxing, essential part of our lives. This is likely why socially, we naturally gravitate towards people who are laughing or we feel can make us laugh.
"If you increase your humor quotient, it will change your life." - Steven Sultanoff, Professor of Psychology, Pepperdine University
Can laughter actually kill cancer cells, prevent heart disease or heal depression? As steadfast researchers continue to study the many benefits of laughter there are some things that we know from own personal cheerful experiences to be true. If you're feeling down, laughter is a great pick-me-up. After a good laugh, we feel relaxed, even refreshed. Laughter is a simple, pleasurable joy in life and like a yawn; it's contagious and can be transmitted from one person to another. Even on the darkest, most dismal day, a good chuckle is like a ray of brilliant sunshine that instantly brightens our day.
Tony Chestnut is a tune with universal attraction and the song's appeal lies in its humor and simplistic charm. From the United States to South Africa, from Japan to the UAE, it unites cultures, creates friendships and conveys a meaningful bond between children and adults. And it's no surprise, it's simply human nature. Folks naturally migrate towards the song's pleasurable merriment, eager to bask in its rejuvenating, all-around, healthy good-feeling.
Did you know that laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system? Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.
