Feeling stuck? Here’s how to have more fun in life, starting today

I’m sure it says anything else about my personality that in the past three years, one of the New Year’s Resolution was to “have more fun.” Like a classic Diagram 3My stressful work ethic can sometimes be in conflict with ultimate goal of living life to the fullest. So every January 1st when I journal about how I want to next year For review, I will definitely write some version of, “More fun, more laughter, more games.”

I always go the extra mile a bit more seriously – my elementary teachers used to tell my mom how “focused” I seemed in class. When I’m in the area with the goal in mind, it’s hard for me to see outside of my carefully crafted action plan. But to be more carefree, I know that breaking the script is exactly what I need to feel more joyful in my daily experience. When I’m hiking or at the beach, it’s easy to sink into the space towards experiencing the moment and enjoying life instead of checking everything. my to-do list. And yes, the beauty of nature There is a tendency to awaken that spirit in many of us, but I also think it has to do with the fact that disruptions in the flow of life make us feel more alive.

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I started 2022 by downloading a new book with the right title The power of joy: How to feel alive again, in which the author, Catherine Price (who also wrote this other favorite) begins by breaking down her definition of “real pleasure”. Turns out, many things that we can think is fun, after further testing, not satisfying after all. She classifies things like binge-watching and scrolling through social media as “fake pleasure.”

“Fake Fun paralyzes and leaves us empty when done. True Fun makes us feel nourished and refreshed. “

I believe that even when serious things are happening in the world around us, we can have empathy and compassion for what is happening, and welcome fun and laughter. laugh in our day. So, inspired by my readings, as well as my own recent experiences, here’s what I’m learning about how to have more joy in our lives.

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Let’s use an example that most of us encounter every day: Cook dinner. There are two women making the same dinner on a Tuesday night, say lasagna. One of them was paying attention to what she was doing as she mulled over a problem at work that day while cursing herself for choosing a recipe that required multiple layers of noodles/cheese. cooler/sauce because she still has lunch to pack and email to reply and –All just a bit too much for a Tuesday.

That woman? She’s barefoot in the kitchen with the music on, enjoying the experience of doing one of her favorite things. Maybe she hires a family member to help with her class, maybe she pours a glass of wine and enjoys the feeling of doing one of her favorite things on a Tuesday night. Same situation, completely different experience.

Or think of the simple act of chatting, something we do all the time, with strangers, family, and friends. What’s the difference between a boring conversation and one that is considered “joking” or even, flirt? It’s all in how we choose to view it.

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In her bookPrice says these 3 qualities must be present in order to experience Real Joy in our lives: playfulness, connection and fluency. Playfulness is the spirit of fun and freedom where you don’t have to think too much about your day-to-day responsibilities but instead are fully involved in whatever you’re doing.

“When people are having fun, they sparkle.”

Connection is a shared experience with another person or thing. It could be a connection with nature, an activity you enjoy (like drawing), animals, or other people. It happens when a person “joins someone else and feels completely himself at the same time.”

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And Flow is a term describe feeling so completely involved in your present experience that you lose track of time – the feeling of being lost in whatever you’re doing.

If my goal is to have more fun, I can look for experiences that include all three of these qualities or find ways to infuse more of each of them into my daily life. When Playfulness, connection and flow Now we have the magic of real joy.

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A few years ago, I read and loved a book called The power of moments. It’s all about how we can create more memories and special moments in our lives. One of the biggest takeaways from me was a concept called “script breaking”. The idea is that by doing something unexpected, we turn off autopilot and turn everyday moments into something more interesting.

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• After dinner, instead of turning on the TV, family walk Around the neighborhood.
• Take Shower with a great podcast on my headphones – in the middle of the day!
• Notice something you love about someone in your life – and tell them.
• Instead of to watch my kids play dodgeball, jump in and play with them non-stop (it’s also an amazing workout.)
• Do favorite cocktails weekend.
• Do something you’ve never done before: I’m trying to climb mountains.
• Make a new recipe.
• Read poetry instead of fiction.
• Looking for opportunities for random acts of kindness – they are everywhere.
• When the kids are in their pajamas, announce that we’re going to get ice cream.
• Buy yourself flowers – and enjoy the peonies.
• Buy flowers for a friend.
• Wake up early for a morning meditation on the backyard. There’s something about watching the sunrise that changes my day.

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