Today’s post is written by our Senior Editor, Rachel Kempton.
A few weeks ago I took my little boy, Zack, to Philadelphia. He’s toddling now and he was in his element in the airport ‘helping’ us steer the luggage trolley, pointing out the big aeroplanes and playing peekaboo with the little boy he’d befriended. To him every part of the experience was an adventure; an opportunity to play, to have fun and to learn. As I watched Zack climb onto his Gruffalo suitcase and squeal with joy as my husband pulled him along at lightning speed, a sweet lady smiled at me and said: “children have all the fun don’t they?!” Her words rang so true. As grown ups we’re so busy dashing from one thing to the next, juggling the endless responsibilities that come with work, family life and social commitments, that it’s easy to lose the sense of fun and freedom we had when we were young.
We know that play is vitally important for children, but it’s just as important for adults too. According to contemporary American psychiatrist Stuart Brown: “Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities.”
[Tweet “”If it’s not fun, you’re not doing it right.” ~ Bob Basso”]
When you really stop and think about it, play is just an attitude. An option. A decision you make every time you do anything. Life really can be lighter and more fun if you choose to make it that way. If life has become one big routine for you, or if you find that your days lack joy and laughter, it could be time to change your attitude.
Need some inspiration? Here are our top 10 tips for living life in the fun lane…
1. Just be
Give yourself permission to slow down. Forget your to-do lists and, like children do, just enjoy the moment. Remind yourself regularly that wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing, that’s where the fun is at right now.
2. Immerse yourself in nature
Nature is grounding, soothing and healing. In fact just being outside can help recharge our batteries and make us feel alive. Whether you choose to walk barefoot in the grass, roll down a hill or row a boat on a nearby lake, make time to enjoy all the beauty and magic that nature has to offer.
3. Learn something new
We’re always telling our kids that “learning is fun” so it’s time to take our own advice! What have you always been interested in? The guitar? Golf? Painting? Writing books? Sewing? Interior design? Sugar craft? Counselling? Architecture? Business? Follow your passions and sign up for a class or course, or get a book and teach yourself about it.
4. Dare yourself
As we grow up we tend to play it safe but as the well-known saying goes: ‘Life is what happens when you step outside your comfort zone’. Today, take a chance. Set yourself a challenge. Push yourself. Feel the fear, and do it anyway.
5. Laughter is the best medicine
Research shows that laughter can lift your mood, boost your immune system, relieve stress and keep your brain healthy. Above all it makes you feel good. And this feel good feeling stays with you even when the laughter subsides. Play and laughter help you keep a positive, optimistic outlook on life.
Climb a tree or a mountain. Go to the top of a tall building and look down. Stand on a pier and look out to sea. Lie on the ground and watch the clouds float by. Sometimes a change of scene can really change our view on things.
7. Create, imagine. Invent.
Painting, drawing, building, making, sewing, writing, acting, dancing… little ones can get lost in their creative worlds for hours. What activities do you enjoy doing so much that you lose track of time when you’re doing them?
8. Be spontaneous
Mix up your routine and do something out of the ordinary. You never know what might happen or who you might meet. And you’ll be surprised at how liberated you’ll feel.
9. Love messy play
Kids never worry about getting dirty, making things untidy or creating mess. Mixing up mud pies, baking biscuits, painting, having a water fights and mummifying ourselves using toilet paper is all in the name of fun! So go for it, get your hands dirty!
10. Don’t be scared to break the rules
Innovation happens this way! The beauty of living your life your way is that you’re free to break, rewrite, or change the rules whenever you like! Start with a blank canvas, choose the route that brings the most fun and joy and let your life unfold into the masterpiece it’s meant to be.
Are you ready to embrace your inner child? Would you like more fun in your life? Do you want to spend more time doing what you love?
The Do What You Love e-course is a groundbreaking online adventure which will help you do all this and much, much more! In just five weeks you will expand your comfort zone, nurture your playful spirit, find your passions, feed your creative soul and make possibility your new reality.
Along the way well share thought-provoking posts, fascinating stories and inspiring real life interview. There’ll also be journal prompts, interesting exercises and fun weekly missions to help you along your path. You will travel with a community of like-minded people from across the world, sharing your stories, forging new connections, and inspiring each other. This will be like no other class you have ever taken. And it might just change your life.
Class begins on June 15 2015. Find out more or register here.
