Fun? Who has time for fun? Isn't that something that is relegated to the weekends (if planned far enough out ahead of time?) Or, something only young people can do before they join the real world? You might be thinking, I'm an adult with a to-do list full of priority's that seriously need my attention and Fun is not on the list!

Let's say, for arguments sake, that you realize you have spent too many years without having much fun in your life. You are far more serious than you realize (or maybe you do know this and you'd like to do something about it.) You decide to take time exploring the concept of adding more fun into your life.

In my experience, people's definition of fun differs incredibly from one individual to the next.

Fun for one person could mean a thrilling zip-line experience across the tree tops in some exotic locale. To someone else that image might actually cause stress and anxiety accompanied by true fear. However, their version of fun could mean spending several hours outside in the garden or watching a favorite comedy show.

So... honoring this distinction is very important. It is unrealistic to expect others to join us in what we consider fun. Let's keep this fun party to what we truly feel is enhancing to us, without having to include others (for now.)

With this in mind, I feel it's valuable to bring awareness to the tendency to turn something "fun" into a chore or add the element of competition. Our well-honed adult side has been primed and rewarded for rules, structure, dead lines and checking items off of our to-do lists.

In some cases this can reinforce the tendency's towards perfection. We inadvertently turn something that truly was fun at one time into something we now worry over and scrutinize.

Am I doing this right?
Should I even be doing this right now?
In fact, I'm sure I should be doing something else more productive.
Hmmmm. Maybe I better start taking classes or work with a teacher to hone my skills or learn more solid techniques?

Now, I'm not against education or embracing more well-rounded skills. As a life-long lover of education I can sympathize with the love of honing a craft. Or, delving more deeply into well-founded techniques, historical background and philosophy.

What I am encouraging is to set that hard-wired tendency aside. Come clean about our addiction to turning something fun and enjoyable into work. Work and play. Play and work. Let's keep these separate.

For our own mental, emotional and spiritual health, let's keep fun in the true vein of play.

When is the last time you really did something fun and set down the serious hat? Fun simply for the sake of fun?

No rules. No preconceived ideas of the outcome. Plain and simple fun.

Fun that brings out your best side. Your light-hearted side. The side that doesn't have the tendency to judge or evaluate if you are doing something right.

Here are some ideas:

Cue up some music and dance around your living room. (Maybe it's music people don't know you absolutely love like salsa, hip-hop, Broadway musicals or 50's bands?)
Drive to a park and swing on the swings or slide down the slide.
Pack yourself a picnic lunch and drive somewhere peaceful. Delighting in your own company.
Watch a comedy.
Watch a funny kids movie that you typically tell yourself to "old" or "mature" to watch. (Get over yourself and have some laughs!)
Go to a hot springs and enjoy getting away for a few hours.
Buy a mandala coloring book and actually color in it. (Judgement free.)
Take a day trip somewhere you normally don't go. Maybe it's for your favorite ice cream cone? Maybe it's to eat the fudge at a famous candy shop? Or, perhaps it's to indulge in the french fries you absolutely love?
Go for a leisurely bike ride.
Listen to live music.
People watch.
Read out of a joke book you normally won't allow yourself to look at.
Turn your phone off for a few hours and indulge in your own company.

I could continue on, but this certainly helps to get the creative juices flowing. Some of these ideas require money and some do not. It's entirely up to you in how you want to cultivate more fun in your life.

The truth is that it's a highly undervalued commodity in our overly competitive society. Most of us don't need to re-evalute our childhoods or keep thinking about what went wrong or who wronged us.

No. That broken record of Who Done Me Wrong songs is way past it's expiration date. What we need to do is shift our mindsets to being more playful.

Instead of expecting others to be more fun. Or, thinking the world should be more fun- the truth is we need to be more fun. Our outer world reflects the inner world.

Look at your life. Right here. Right now. Is it enjoyable? Happy? Joyful? Do you have a smile on your face more often than a frown?

If not, then I encourage you to make laughter, lightness and play a priority this week. Start with this question: What is something really fun that I normally won't make time for, but just thinking about it puts a smile on my face?

Make a point to schedule it into your week. Even if it's on a smaller scale. You are totally worth it. You are your best self when enjoying yourself. Come on... tickle that funny bone.

Laugh on my friends, laugh on.

Joanna

p.s. Remember to request to join my FB group: Joanna Easton's School. Uplifting. Inspiring. Community. BONUS guidance Tarot readings every Sunday.