As we head into summer what could be better than focusing on FUN?
From The Lazy Genius Podcast, episode #306 - "What we need to have more Fun." The information for that podcast was from the book The Power of Fun by Catherine Price.
It's been a couple months since I've written, and I'm actively holding myself back from writing more about Boundaries. More to come about boundaries from The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban. I want to focus on fun today because it is something I am personally needing, so others might as well, and this podcast has been a new discovery that I wanted to share. The information may be a bit diluted because it is a blog about a podcast that was about a book, but hopefully it will be helpful to you, and if you want to learn more you can listen to the podcast or read the book.
Let's talk about fun, what could be better?
I am someone that often thinks "sure, I have fun all the time." or "fun is a privilege, I am too busy for." Maybe you relate, or have other thoughts about fun?
Whether you have fun with friends, family, pets, or yourself I think you can agree that it is something that helps us feel good. Usually, we feel like we need more fun, or want more fun, because usually that means more joy and happiness in our life. You may also have discovered the research about fun and how it can reduce stress and therefore strengthens our ability to fight off disease, avoid burnout, etc. Basically, fun is a good thing, if you do not agree, I recommend skipping this blog for today.
Steps to having fun...Does that defeat the point?
In this podcast she reviews what Catherine Price defines as what is needed to have more fun. She says that we need three things, sometimes we only have one aspect or two and so it is not true fun.
Those two things may be very positive and beneficial that can also contribute to joy and happiness, but Catherine Price, and Kendra both say that we need all three to be having "true fun."
1. Play
Embrace your silly, playful self. Toss a ball, jump rope, do something that makes you laugh, dance, move your body. Or maybe play is more mind-centered, try a crossword puzzle, Wordle, or "I Spy" with a friend. Basically, play involves an activity that sparks joy. Find your freedom, light-hearted, and move, take up space, and just be.
2. Connection
Being connected to something or someone else, community, an animal, a place. Think being grounded, we are outside in our bare-feet in the grass playing toss with our dog. We are volunteering in our community and laughing with people we just met. We are connecting with someone or something else outside of ourselves.
3. Flow
This means that you will not be interrupted. If you want to have true fun, try to create space and time for yourself to play and connect without being interrupted. If you are tossing a football with a friend at a park, but you keep thinking about your work meeting you had that day, your flow will end.
If you are out to dinner and are laughing and connecting with friends and your phone rings, your flow will end. Finding flow and keeping that flow going can be one of the most difficult elements to having fun. It is necessary because we are able to truly get absorbed into the play and relieve stress by only focusing on the present moment.
No judgement
One of the biggest things that interrupts true fun is judgement. If you are dancing your favorite song while cooking dinner and your partner or family member walks by and looks at you with judgement, it obviously kills the vibe. Hopefully, you can invite them in, grab their hands and dance with them and laugh it off. We can't control other people's judgement, but we can model, and influence with our own behavior. So, spread the love and fun by releasing your judgements of other people's fun.
I hope this helps inspire you to seek out Catherine Price's book The Power of Fun, or listen to the Lazy Genius podcast. But most of all I hope it inspires you to go out and have some true fun!
Comentarios