Don’t Stop Chasing the Fun

I recently celebrated a milestone birthday and when I was deciding what I wanted to do for it, I started thinking about fun things I like to do. I realized I only do these fun things for special occasions and I started wondering why that was the case.

What happened between childhood and adulthood that made me stop having fun?

More responsibility? Yes. Whether you have tiny humans depending on you or you just like sleeping in a comfy bed with a roof over your head, we all have responsibilities. Those responsibilities tend to take up more of our time.

More tired? Yes. Unfortunately, as we get older, we just don’t have the energy that we had as children.

More self-conscious? Yes. I hate to say it but I’m way more conscious of how others perceive me now than I was as a child.

More frugal? Yes. As adults, we are in charge of paying for our fun. We can no longer expect our parents to pay for everything. We get wrapped up in paying for our “necessities” and we don’t have any left for the fun.

Those are all valid reasons. However, I don’t believe we should use them as excuses. You can bring fun into your workplace. You can include your family in your fun. Push through the fatigue and step outside your routine. Stop caring what others think. Make fun a priority in your finances or do something fun that is inexpensive or free.

If you like the idea of bringing a little more fun into your life but don’t know where to start, keep reading! I’d like to give you a process for getting started.

Create a List

Start by creating a list of things you get joy out of. It doesn’t matter if anyone else likes it, just that you do. Sit down for 10 minutes with a blank sheet of paper and just write everything down that you think is fun. Don’t stop to think about how much it cost, how much time it takes, or what other people will think about it. If it is fun for you, write it down.

Mark it on Your Planner

I don’t know about you, but I am way more likely to do something if I’ve written it down. So pick some things off your list and write them into specific days and times on your planner. Download my 2023 Summer Calendar on my Freebies page if you need a quick at-a-glance planner sheet. It doesn’t matter if you use a paper planner or a digital planner, just block out time for fun.

Do the Thing

At this point, you’ve brainstormed and planned for fun but all that effort doesn’t change anything for you unless you actually DO the fun thing! Go on a hike, put together a puzzle, or take a trip. Do the thing! Don’t talk yourself out of it. Don’t keep pushing it back on your schedule. Treat it like it’s an important event because it is.

Journal about Your Experience

After you do the fun thing, write about it. How did it make you feel? Would you do it again? Review your experience. Take time for reflection and refer back to those passages in the routine mundane moments of life.

Now you know how to start.

My challenge for you is to do one fun thing every day this week. That’s right, I said EVERY DAY this week. It may seem like a lot but it’s not. We don’t expect children to go a whole day without playing. Why should we as adults? Pick small things if you don’t have a lot of extra time. Bake a special dessert for supper one night if baking is fun for you. Sit on the porch and watch a sunset. Take a stroll around your neighborhood. Read a chapter of a new book. Watch your favorite movie. Take a drive. Make a craft.

Whatever it is, have fun doing it!

Gem of the Week:

My gem this week is the devotional Chase the Fun by Annie F. Downs. You should also read her book That Sounds Fun but I really like her devotional because it makes you think about fun things and put those things into practice.