It's generally difficult to convince people to engage in outlandish activities right off the bat, as this can lead to resistance or outright refusal. Yet, if you approach the situation incrementally, you can lead them to participate in quite extraordinary tasks. For instance, I managed to get a serious management team to partake in laughter therapy during a tense meeting. The process was subtle and step-by-step: • I first posed a general inquiry about their willingness to try a brief, refreshing activity amidst our discussion. They were unanimously in favor. • Next, I suggested rearranging the furniture to make space for the activity, to which they agreed. • Then, I encouraged them to lie down on the floor, which was met with some hesitation but ultimately a yes. • Finally, I prepped them to mimic the sounds they would hear, receiving an affirmative response. Once I played recordings of laughter that gradually increased in volume, they found themselves laughing genuinely and vigorously. Had I directly proposed laughter therapy, they would have likely rejected the idea.
Exercise
To practice this technique, try it with someone close to you, like a partner or a friend. Don't outline exactly what you'll be doing; simply suggest doing something fun and guide them through small steps like those above.