Are you having enough fun in your life or are your days stressful, mundane and uninteresting? Do you tell yourself you don’t have enough time for fun because you have too many responsibilities and obligations? Or perhaps you think that fun is just for kids. I would like to encourage you to question those beliefs and consider making a commitment to consciously bring fun back into your life.
Most people are not taught the importance of having fun every day. As children, fun and play were a constant for us, but many of us discard these life-affirming activities when we cross into adulthood because we get buried in our responsibilities, worries and concerns, and fun becomes an infrequent experience. When we fixate on these “realities of adulthood”, we experience continual stress which is so harmful to us; however, daily fun is the perfect antidote. Fun involves creativity and spontaneity which breaks us free from the daily routines that keep us in a rut of mindless habits and stress. When we have fun, we flood ourselves with positive energy that makes us feel good and brings us back to life.
Fun is also spiritual.
When we are having fun, we lose track of time and space and enter into a zone of complete freedom and joy. We experience transcendence which is exactly what spirituality provides to us.
Does it seem too good to be true that fun could be as important as eating well and regular exercise? Well, it IS true! Fun keeps us young, vibrant and excited about life, and there are many health benefits as well.
-
Eliminates stress
-
Improves brain health
-
Promotes optimism
-
Keeps you feeling young
-
Enhances overall quality of life
So where does one begin to put fun back into life? It starts in your mind.
Fun is really a state of mind or consciousness. It is an energy, a feeling state. Having fun does not require spending money on things; it is all about cultivating a fun state of being. When we can find fun in anything and everything, we activate the energy of joy inside of ourselves. Try dancing while you are doing dishes, or seeing the whimsical in your everyday experiences, and you will open the floodgates to seeing fun in everything!
As Ernest Holmes says,
“The Law of Life says that whatever you mentally affirm, and, at the same time, become inwardly aware of, Life will create for you.”
Here are four steps that will get you started on creating a fun life. You will need pen and paper.
Step One: Tune into the energy of fun.
Let’s start with the definition of fun to get ourselves centered on what fun feels like to us. dictionary.com defines fun as:
“Something that provides mirth or amusement; enjoyment of playfulness.”
Read this definition a few times, then close your eyes and be open to whatever comes into your mind. Just sit in the feeling of mirth, amusement, joy and play, and see what comes up.
Step Two: Write a list of all the things that came up for you in step one, and don’t judge anything!
Just let the ideas pour out of you and on to the paper. Some examples might be: taking a walk, having a tea party, watching my cat play with a laser, go shopping, watching a comedy, or laughing without a reason. There is no right or wrong – this is your fun list!
Step Three: Make the commitment to do something fun every day.
Now that you have a comprehensive list, it is time to make a commitment to do something fun everyday. When we make a commitment to ourselves to improve any aspect of our life, we are telling ourselves that this is important to us, and we become naturally motivated to follow through. Write your own commitment statement that is meaningful and inspiring to you. Here is an example: “I commit to having fun every day, because it makes me happy!”
Step Four: Create a fun journal and write the fun things you do every day.
A fun journal will motivate you to find the fun in your life, and you will discover activities you previously may not have considered to be fun. A fun journal is also a great way to pull yourself out of a funk. When you read all the fun things you have been doing every day, your mood will shift, and you will look for something fun to do.
In order to change anything in our life, we must make it a priority and follow through with practice. If you are ready to have more fun in your life, these four steps are going to make that happen. Whatever we focus on expands, so if you focus on fun, your life is going to be really fun. And the cool thing about that is that fun is contagious, and people around you are going to want what you have. The whole world benefits when we are having fun.
“Reclaim your curiosity, your sense of adventure, and have some fun.
Don’t take every moment of your life so seriously. Allow yourself to enjoy life.” – Akiroq Brost
Rev. Dale Olansky
Rev. Dale Olansky is a licensed minister through Emerson Theological Institute and currently serves as Lead Practitioner at Spiritual Center of the Desert in Palm Desert, California. She teaches classes and co-facilitates Spirit of Women. Rev. Dale has built her own spiritual counseling practice and works with individuals and couples and leads women’s retreats. She is a published author, and her inspirational book, “Fear to Faith: A Daily Guide to Finding Solace in an Uncertain World” can be purchased through Amazon. Rev. Dale can be reached at revdaleo@gmail.com.