FUN: What is This; Why Do I Need It? Part #1

"If you don’t have any Fun in your Life, then all you have is a bunch of Thursdays?" (Movie, Rumor Has It)

Starting with the end of childhood, moving into being a working adult and, finally, into the fifty plus stage with retirement on the horizon, our amount of Fun typically decreases. Why do we loose Fun? Why do we need to have Fun? What is Fun to you?

Fun is something that is non-competitive, takes your mind off of responsibilities or worries; something you really enjoy doing. Playing tennis, writing, traveling, being with friends or family , working on a creative project. Is your Fun something you can totally loose yourself in? Do you feel energized while doing it and invigorated afterwards? You might even feel a little selfish taking the time to do something Fun, but, hey, aren't you worth it?

We need Fun in our lives for validation and to show ourselves that we matter everyday. Fun helps us to keep perspective with our perceived responsibilities and to help us from feeling like martyrs. Do you sometimes feel like you’re taking care of everyone and everything else? Are you a caregiver for another person? If we allow all of our energy to be constantly pulled away from us, then we're choosing to not have any reserves for ourselves.

Fun is also one of the best ways I know to slow down time and to create memories. This past summer, we went with friends to a ski resort in Colorado for the day. There was a chairlift to the top of the mountain and a giant slide down. Putt Putt golf, a huge maze, some shops and of course places to just sit and enjoy the view. BUT, there also was the bungee trampoline that caught my eye. Suddenly, I was about eight years old and found myself strapped into a halter with two bungee cords attached, jumping on the giant trampoline. The scariest part was the teenage kid holding the controls that would decide how high I was going to go.

Getting strapped in, I did the usual, conservative jump about five times, then, feeling brave and not remembering my "age", I tried a couple of back flips!!! Not a pretty site!! BUT it was truly FUN!! I didn’t hurt anything (luckily), no one laughed at the "grandmother" on the trampoline and I have my memory. It reminded me that if I could do this at my age, then maybe I needed to keep exercising and trying to stay healthy.

So, how do you make time for yourself? How do you create Fun in your life? First, stop hiding who you are; be authentic. Think about what makes you up, Today. Who is the person really inside of you? Not your chronological age, but the age in your mind. At sixty, you can feel maybe thirty. Call me crazy, but who cares? If you didn’t have any responsibilities, what would you like to be doing? How are you spending your time? What is Fun to you? Are you missing Fun? What do you need to have Fun? What is stopping you from having Fun? Live La Vida Loca!!!

(Excerpt from our book and workshop about Fun)

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