We've been programmed to believe that fun is just for kids. Remember when you were young and you just played and had fun. You might have done silly things and just laughed and laughed. So, when was the last time you laughed like that?
When we get older we tend to take everything more seriously and lose our sense of fun and adventure. We often take ourselves so seriously that we become engulfed in our own issues. We even forget to look outside to notice what is happening. We worry about "using" our time well. It's given us a schizophrenic approach to leisure and fun. Can we have fun without feeling guilty? Guilt seems to be such a part of our lives and it is now creeping into our leisure play. Some suggestions for having fun might include: setting specific time aside each day for just play, turn off the TV and go outside, meet a neighbor, ride a bike, break your usual routine and get out or the box you put yourself in. Bring in fun as part of your day.
I lead trips to the Big Island of Hawaii several times a year for adventure and fun. Now, believe me I can make this a very serious job. However, usually by day three we have moved to Plan F on the schedule and I'm wondering what to do next. Actually, I think it is very hard not to have fun in paradise. Yes, it is a state of mind. I think to some degree fun is about 'letting go" of preconceived ideas to notice what is available right now.
Let's just get on and live life. Maybe somewhere on your journey you might make a difference to your family, your business partners, and your overall sense of well being. It seems our choices are–staying just as we are…or surprising ourselves and having more fun.
Smile and laugh just a little more! Ask some older, perhaps wiser person you know, "What advice do you have about life?" You might just hear, "Have fun and enjoy life while you can!"
© 1995 Heidi Stromberg