On today's episode of the "Helping Families Be Happy" podcast, host Christopher Robbins, co-founder of Familius Publishing, husband, father of nine, author, fisherman, backpacker, and aspirational musician based in the Central Valley of California, talks to Kathryn Thompson. Kathryn is a web designer and consultant for small businesses and non-profits, with a passion for knitting and a penchant for Taylor Swift songs. Kathryn is also the author of three books: "Drops of Awesome," "Buckets of Awesome," and "532 Ways to Be Awesome." The focus of today's episode is on the significance of laughter and play in family dynamics.   Episode Highlights: 02:00: Kathryn shares the origin of the awesome concept during a challenging period of postpartum depression. She explains how the concept emerged as a way to shift her perspective and find humor in difficult situations. 03:16: Kathryn discusses the visualization of "drops of awesome" and how it became a tool for building momentum in her daily life. The metaphorical bucket of awesome is introduced as a way to celebrate small victories. 04:52: Kathryn shares her experience with overcoming the negative voice in her head and how the concept of drops of awesome helped her focus on the positive aspects of her life. The discussion touches on the motivation that comes from celebrating small victories. 05:16: Positive reader feedback is highlighted, with Kathryn sharing a specific story of a reader who found inspiration and permission to recognize their own drops of awesome. The transformative effect of the concept on people's lives is discussed. 07:03: Christopher discusses challenges in Kathryn's life, such as postpartum depression, her husband's layoff, and health issues. He prompts Kathryn to share stories illustrating how humor and laughter helped during these difficult times. 08:01: Reflecting on the job loss, Kathryn stresses the importance of finding ways to connect and solidify family relationships through humor. She shares how they turned a challenging situation into a memorable play day. 10:12: Kathryn recalls the laughter and joy she and her husband experienced while creating the humorous LinkedIn profile. She shares the positive outcome of the job search, emphasizing that their attitude and approach shifted the entire tone of the experience. 11:43: Christopher addresses how humor can be used to emotionally strengthen during serious health issues, referring to Kathryn's experience with her daughter's thyroid cancer diagnosis. 13:20: Kathryn details their humorous approach to her daughter's surgery, including a knitted stocking for the thyroid and a playful sword to "fight" cancer. The family continued finding humor in the post-surgery period, creating jokes around the scar and even displaying a stuffed thyroid in a jar. 14:38: Kathryn emphasizes that their humor was never at the expense of her daughter, Claire, and it always followed Claire's lead and sense of humor. The family's approach helped them find joy during challenging times. 15:36: Kathryn advises not to take oneself too seriously during challenging times. She suggests stopping and asking, "What is funny about this situation?" as a way to shift perspective and find humor even in the darkest moments.   Key Points: Kathryn introduces the "drops of awesome" concept as a coping mechanism during postpartum depression, celebrating small positive actions to shift perspective. The conversation explores using humor and play during challenging times, including a layoff turned into a playful family day and finding humor in a daughter's thyroid cancer journey. Kathryn advises to ask, "What is funny about this situation?" as a practical way to use humor during tough times, emphasizing the importance of not taking oneself too seriously. Tweetable Quotes: "In the midst of challenges, celebrate the small victories as drops of awesome to shift your perspective and build momentum." - Christopher "Humor is a powerful tool to navi