- “Continue to See it. Believe it. Achieve it." ~ Janelle
Let’s Dance
I remember the days in my youth when I was admonished for staying cooped up in the basement, and told to put the novels down and go outside and play. Playing. Having fun. Who would have thought that what was once a carefree activity as a child would become a far removed notion as an adult? Those of us who have children may engage in playing with them, but that doesn’t replace the fun activities that pique our adult interests.
The multiple hats we wear in our roles as parents, students, employees, spouses, etc., leave little room to have fun. Such desires are far removed since so little of our time is actually our own. When we do get a free moment, we catch up on things like placing calls and texting, social media, going through emails, or sleeping. Then we’re back to the grind in our quest to live responsible successful lives. But what about living fun, joy-filled, abundant lives?
There must be a balance.
Few people are opposed to having fun. So it’s a wonder why fun is scarce in so many lives. We think, “if only I had the time…” Then what? We’d probably try to get more work done! It’s time to break through the barrier that the notorious “if only” has built and start relishing in those fun activities and hobbies that we enjoy.
If our daily workload doesn’t afford us “fun time,” then we must make the time.
We could make having fun tangible and achievable by writing down those fun activities that eludes us - like mountain climbing, taking photography courses, sky-diving, golfing or some other sports, going to concerts, museums, or taking some kind of class to hone a skill or hobby. Whether it’s weekly, monthly, or seasonally, if we schedule it and also share it with someone, they can hold us accountable and might even join us. For those of us with a never ending “to do” list, structure it as an incentive. For every big task or project completed, reward the accomplishment with doing a fun activity from our list.
My list is full of fun activities that vary per my mood. For instance, if I’ve been running around, something fun would be watching a movie. Or if I’ve been doing more mental work than physical, I might want to do something social. One that I haven’t done in a number of years is a night out dancing. There was a time in my life when I would go dancing every week. I can’t recall the last time I went dancing. Now that I think about it, dancing will be in the top 5 fun activities on my list. Who wants to join me?