Are We Having Fun Yet?
Don't wait for fun to happen
Fun doesn’t come from an invitation in the mail. On a scale of 1 to ‘fun’ where do you land?Do you ever feel like you are the only one not having fun? One glance at Facebook and you are doomed — exotic locations, abundant lives, perfect families and party, party, party! And then you look around, take stock of your own life and start to pout.What blocks your fun? What stands in the way of your delighted self?
The message I have been receiving in some obvious and some not-so-obvious ways of late is that I need to play more. Simply put — I need to have more fun.
Sounds easy enough, right? It’s not as if I’m toiling away in a dark dungeon, but truth be told…I could use a little more lightness of being. A dose of whimsy. Let’s be real, I seriously doubt that anyone ever said on their deathbed…I really wish I had worked more...sent just one more email…made one more post on social media. I’m sure you can fill in your own scenario.It seems kind of silly for me to admit this, but the signal has been coming through loud and clear and got me thinking about these busy lives we lead — and more importantly, what is leading them. As with any habit, the more we flex a muscle, the stronger it becomes. It’s the same with our thinking: good vs. bad, uplifting and loving vs. critical and judgmental. This is where the excuses march in, the ‘not enough’s’ as I call them. I don’t have enough time to do this. I don’t have enough money to do that. You get the picture.It’s so easy to fall into a pattern or behavior that takes us further and further from our true selves and from that which we truly desire: to be happy, to feel safe, to love and be loved…oh, and yes, to have fun!
Fun isn’t just for kids and/or weekends — however, they are often both full of it. Adulthood doesn’t have to be synonymous with all work and no play.
When we don’t pay attention to all of our needs, when we solely focus on checking off tasks on our to-do lists and attending to the agendas of others, we bypass ourselves. And when we’re not happy — we don’t have happy to give. Our emotions will find there way out sideways. Have you ever noticed yourself getting cranky, moody, judgmental and downright ornery? More likely than not, you are in need of some delight.Here’s the thing — I actually love my work, so sometimes I have a difficult time turning it off. Weekdays roll into weekends and I am often blissfully found behind my laptop writing away, curating, scouring for new content and dreaming. But even from that standpoint, I need time out, off, and unplugged.Easier said than done, right?I’ve always been kind of a black or white, all in or all out kind of gal. Maybe you can relate? It’s either a real vacation – you know, like the ones everyone on Facebook is on, or bust. This is where I get tripped up. This is also where children, a pet, or a great friend come in handy. They remind us to play. They remind us that fun is to be found in all the in-between moments — it’s not a side dish served up for special occasions. They reflect back what our soul is crying out to do — live life to the fullest, not compartmentalized to specific days on the calendar.If you are anything like me, this probably sounds like a lot of blah blah. But keep the faith. Take it for a test drive. Push the excuses to the sidelines for a moment and carve out some time to do something slightly out of character, something that deviates a bit from your ‘normal’ routine, something in the name of nurturing your inner child. And it needn’t require a huge time commitment, a plane ticket, or a new wardrobe. It just involves a time-out for you. It might feel rebellious at first, because it is.
You are rebelling against the inner bossy, rigid part of yourself that can get you stuck.
When guests come to visit I’m always stunned at how my perception shifts – how suddenly I see things in a new light. Just this past weekend, with a friend in town, I took a digital detox — not intentionally, but that’s what results from having fun. We played tennis, took a long bike ride, had a picnic, ate yummy healthy food, laid on hot rocks aside a flowing stream, took pictures and daydreamed. Fun sweeps you away to another magical place. Suddenly, as if putting on new rose-colored glasses, my immediate surroundings revealed an entirely different setting right here in my own backyard.You may not be able to carve out several hours of your day to play, but fun comes in bite-sizes, too. Try stepping away from your desk in the middle of the work day to take a walk or sit in a café and have your favorite smoothie or healthy drink.Giggle More.Dance More.Be Silly More.Play More.Create More.Time out = YOU time. Your true nature is playful. Go have a playdate with yourself!
When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.
~ Dr. Wayne Dyer
How can you add a little fun into your life? Would love to hear in the comments below!