Have More Fun

Life is supposed to be a fun adventure. It’s not supposed to be all work and no play. When was the last time you truly had fun? When was the last time you laughed until you almost wet your pants? These are experiences that everyone should have, not only children. Having fun anchors the rest of your life and makes everything worth it.

• Stop Worrying About What Others Think – One huge impediment to fun is worrying about what other people think all the time. It’s not that you need to do things that are controversial to have fun, it’s just that for some people it’s hard to be themselves. If you find yourself feeling that way, consider changing your thoughts and let yourself have fun.

• You Don’t Want to Spend Money – Some people think the only way to have fun is to spend money. But that’s not true. You can have plenty of fun without spending a time. Play cards, go for a walk, play Frisbee, read a book together. Imagine what people did for fun before we had mass transportation, TV, and movies.

• You’re Not Sure How to Make Plans – While it’s good to make plans, not everything has to be planned. You can have fun at the drop of a hat anyplace at any time if you can get yourself into the right frame of mind. Think positively, tell a joke, give someone a hug. Life is fun.

• It’s OK to Not Be Serious – If you tend toward a serious personality, realize that you don’t have to be serious all the time. It doesn’t matter whether you’re at home or at work. There are always opportunities to let your fun side shine through in appropriate

• Don’t Wait for Perfection – Sometimes planning to have fun can bring disappointment if you think it’s going to be perfect. That family vacation to Disney will be a great memory for your kids, but will it be a good memory for you? Are you able to let go of the fact that tired kids will cry, whine and complain, even at Disney?

• It Doesn’t Have to Be Spectacular – Another deterrent to having fun is thinking things need to be over the top to be fun. But, real fun doesn’t have to be crazy, it should be natural and feel good. When you try to make things bigger and bigger you’ll take away some of the fun.

• Bring Back Date Night – If you’re married, have a significant other, or in another type of long-term relationship, it’s imperative that you find time to spend together at least weekly without interruptions. Date night can be as simple as a picnic on your floor or you can go all out dress up and go out to dinner and movie or dinner and dancing. Even Karaoke if you dare.

• Bring Back Family Game Night – You can have a great time playing games with your family. Get out the board games, get out the old-fashioned cards and play games at least one night a week with your kids. Remember to be kind to teenagers and don’t make game night Friday or Saturday night. Make it a weeknight. It only needs to be a couple of hours after dinner. Set a timer for games like Monopoly that can last longer and compute the winner based on accumulation by the time.

Finally, just find ways to laugh more. Laughing is not only wonderful exercise, it boosts endorphins and makes you happy. The more you can laugh, the more fun you will have doing even “boring” things. For example, even grocery shopping alone with your spouse can be fun if you make a day of it. Turn off electronics, head for a walk in the park, have a picnic, then go grocery shopping leisurely. Make fun a priority in your life and you’ll naturally be healthier, happier and have an amazing year, every year.

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