Have Fun
Life can be hard. News, and media in general, bombard us with all that's wrong in the world (bad news sells), it always feels like there are a million more things to do than time to do it, the train was delayed/traffic was bad and there's a screaming baby/cranky teenager to deal with when we walk in the door at the end of a long day at work. To top it off, our society wears overwork like a badge of honour. I get it.
Life is a delicate balance of have-to and want-to, where the stuff on the want-to list seems to spill over from week to week without any attention. Unless we make space for it.
I honestly believe that there's more to life than the rinse-and-repeat nature of getting up, showering, getting dressed, going to work, coming home, making dinner, cleaning up, slumping on the couch with a glass of wine in one hand your mobile phone in the other and some useless dribble on the TV.
Remember being a kid and laughing with your whole body until your stomach ached? Or losing track of time when you were doing something that made your heart sing? Or the longing you felt before a friend came over? Or the joy of playing tricks on your sibling? I have fond memories of being tickled enthusiastically by my Dad on the loungeroom floor to the point where I would have to beg him to stop so I could dash to the bathroom to pee. I remember swinging so high I thought I was one with the clouds. I recall sitting in the sunshine reading for hours, lost in fantasy land.
Having fun can be spontaneous or planned. When it's planned it's called play. The ever-impressive Brene Brown together with Dr Stuart Brown (no relation) has defined play as "engaging in an activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose". Play is an important component of overall health and has been shown to have many benefits including:
Stress relief and relaxation
Improved brain function through stimulation
Boosted creativity
Improved social and communication skills
Better problem-solving abilities
Increased emotional wellbeing
Play means different things to different people and could be anything from solving crossword puzzles to scuba diving. The possibilities are endless. Find something that makes you lose track of time and self-consciousness and dive in. The benefit is, unlike a job, if you're halfway through something and no longer find it pleasurable you are under no obligation to keep going.
If you're struggling to carve out time for play, you can incorporate fun into your daily life without too much overhead. Plus, when we make time for fun, it generates a shift in ourselves and those around us which tends to encourage further antics. There are so many ways to incorporate a little spark of fun into your life. As with play activities, the list is literally endless but here are a few to spark your creative thinking
Smack your significant other playfully (and gently) on the butt as you do the dishes
Leave love notes for your kids in their lunchboxes
Ride your scooter to the train station
Play on the swings at the park with your kids
Cover the ensuite mirror with post-it notes full of positive affirmations or use liquid chalk to leave a love letter to your partner
Wear ribbons in your hair (this has recently become trendy but I haven't stopped wearing ribbons since I was a child)
Grow a beard
Colour your hair like the rainbow
Dance on the tram to your favourite song (use headphones please and be mindful of your fellow commuters)
Having fun means different things to different people. Regardless of what "happy" means to you, there will be ways to inject fun into your daily life. Even mundane tasks can be joyful - follow your heart!
