What do You Do Just for Fun?
“In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed” ~ Gordon B. Hinckley
When we work together 1 to 1 I ask you once a week to take a couple of hours just for you doing something that feeds your soul.
I am so often surprised by women who feel they just can’t do it.
They don’t know what they like to do, what makes them happy and goodness knows, even when they live alone to take time out to have fun – whooooo, steady the horses, somewhere deep inside that’s not allowed.
From a personal perspective it’s not something I get really – yes it may feel a bit of a push sometimes to fit it in but it’s never a chore – in fact it’s an absolute necessity. So sometimes it’s about re educating ourselves to accept that we are worth it.
Maybe it’s a case of old messages like “You’re a big girl now”, “Grow up”, “Stop acting like a child”. I once heard someone screeching that at a nine year old who was in fits of giggles playing on a swing – enough said!!!
Things like that stick.
So does criticism of pretty pictures and treasured bits and pieces – it all contributes to us becoming constricted and limited in our ability to enjoy life and have fun.
Oooh I wish
I’m going to say here though that I’m still envious of spontaneous people who are able to instantly tap into their fun loving inner child. My friends other half asked for ‘special’ lemonade in a cafe in Whitby and was asked for a secret code first – “What is Sooty’s magic saying?”
How many 50 year olds do you know who could instantly reply “Izzy whizzy let’s get busy”? See what I mean – the rest of us would have to trawl our memory to find that and then it would probably be by trial and error.
How to add fun to your day.
1. Give yourself permission to have fun. Better still plan a time that’s yours without interruption.
[bctt tweet=”Let’s get you out of this place of I don’t deserve …” username=”SallyCanning”]
2. Turn off your phone, leave it somewhere you can get to in an emergency but far enough away not to be a temptation to check every few minutes. I’m always amazed when workshops participants book a place and then are scared someone might need them. Devote this time to you for 100% of the hour. morning, day, night, weekend. Calls, texts, emails break the flow and consequently your enjoyment.
3. Choose something you love or that you’d love to do. Go look at something that takes your breath away. When you’re engrossed time flies, you feel lighter and brighter. If you like exhibitions visit a gallery – not everything is going to do it every time but it can be fun finding out what you do and don’t like and you’ll often get lovely surprises. It’s the same with movies, some you win some you don’t. And it can be something simple. One of my favourite places is the local garden center – ambling amongst the scents and colours fills me with joy and loading the boot of my car with trays of pansies just ‘does it for me’ – other times I come away empty handed – just being there was enough :0)
4. When I ask you to go on what Julia Cameron of ‘The Artist’s Way’ calls an Artist’s Date I suggest you go alone, however, if you’re not ready or brave enough for that just yet Invite a friend along. My friend Barbara and I go all over the place on special jaunts and wherever we are we invariably sit at a table for ages laughing and sharing simple stories. Often we could have stayed local and still had a great time together.
5. Most of all, Make fun times a Priority. Having fun is important – it gives you more energy, it literally lifts your spirits, makes you feel and look younger and is good for you on all levels of your being. Happy memories generally involve an element of fun – capture moments by taking photos, buying postcards or collecting souvenirs – glue them into a journal that way you can feel the energy each and every time you look at the page.
“I am going to keep having fun every day I have left, because there is no other way of life. You just have to decide whether you are a Tigger or an Eeyore” ~ Randy Porsch