How much fun is in your life?
Have you forgotten how to have fun?
Have you forgotten when the last time was you laughed, not a polite little chuckle to make the other person feel good, but a good old belly laugh, where you seriously thought you were going to wee yourself, just a little?
Do you even remember what fun feels like?
It’s so easy in today’s age to put fun on the back burner. There’s children to wrangle and jobs to go to and bills to pay, and being an adult and all that stuff. And is there really time to have fun anymore?
Of course there is, and it’s vitality important too!
Having fun, makes us feel good (of course it does otherwise we definitely wouldn’t do it) it helps us connect to our families, and friends, and even to ourselves. It helps create memories, everyone remembers those times when you had fun with your family or your besties. It helps cements family dynamics, your children will always remember those times you spent together having fun, probably over anything else you tell them.
Having fun and laughing is a fantastic stress relief, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t need a little (or a lot) of that in their lives.
But how do I have fun? It doesn’t have to be lavish or expensive or a big deal. Do you want to just do something that you enjoy yourself? Maybe you love drawing or rollerskating and that indulging in those pastimes will allow you to have fun, or maybe you love sitting around the table with your family enjoying a great meal, laughing and enjoying their company. Maybe your friends and you enjoy exploring new restaurants, or bars or going on bushwalks.
So how do we incorporate more fun into our lives?
Step One: Identify what it is that brings you joy. What do you love doing? What makes you have fun?
Step Two: Do it
Step Three: Schedule more of it. Everyone has some time that is available for fun. Identify when your time is and then schedule to do whatever it is then. You may have to get others to jump on board, babysitters, partners, friends. But it will be so worth it.
Step Four: Write “have more fun” somewhere where you will see it every day, to remind you to embrace life, and think of ways to bring more fun to your life. We have this saying on the whiteboard on the side of our fridge, and it’s a little reminder to be to mix things up sometimes at home, because it is so easy to get stuck in a rut.
Life is so short, and I’m pretty sure that no-one looks back on their life (on their deathbed) and wishes they didn’t have so much fun.
Angela Port - Celebrant - Dunedin 