The secret to stress management? Well, to put it simply, it's laughing at ourselves. If we don't take a light approach to life, "we could become the ass we have," said Loretta LaRoche, an author and public speaker from Brooklyn, N.Y., who spoke about stress management at General Motors Place yesterday.

LaRoche asked why it is that we put off having fun, worry about exercise and the food we eat, and walk into our job as if it we were going to a funeral.

The all-day event was part of The Power Within series, a Canada-wide tour of motivational speakers and influential people.

With her wacky facial expressions and sarcastic commentary on human beings, LaRoche had the audience howling with laughter, and even made them get up and break into a dance while "Mustang Sally" blared in the background.

LaRoche, who is the author of Kick Up Your Heels...Before You're Too Short to Wear Them; How to Live a Long, Healthy, Juicy Life, says humour can benefit the health of an organization and its employees, and improve productivity in the workplace.

Near the end of the presentation, LaRoche had the entire stadium singing "That's Amore," holding hands and swaying side to side.

The Vancouver event also featured Quincy Jones and everyone's favorite home and cooking guru, Martha Stewart.