You might have it “All”.
Home. Family. Wealth. Success.
Or you might be in the process of building your empire.
But either way, are you having fun?
And why does it matter?
Why fun?
You can google why having fun is essential and find a wealth of research that suggests multiple ways it contributes to our mental and physical well-being.
But overall, fun is part of a well-lived, healthy, joyful life.
However, we live in a society that highly values productivity.
Because of that, we’ve unconsciously been conditioned to value productivity over connection.
Highly scheduled, efficient, productive days don’t allow for fun.
And so, we get so busy and so productive that we forget to have fun.
One way to overcome that conditioning is to be intentional and purposeful about creating fun with people we love.
What exactly is fun?
It seems kinda silly that we have to define and dissect it, but in our uber-productive society, it’s become less intuitive and more structured.
As I was doing a bit of reading on the topic of joy, I stumbled upon health and science journalist Catherine Price, author of The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again.
Her research suggests that fun is not an activity but a feeling that creates the visceral experience of lightness and joy.
Her definition of fun includes the intersection of three critical elements.
Playfulness - connection - and flow
Playfulness includes having a light-hearted attitude, not caring too much about an outcome, letting go of perfectionism, letting your guard down, and not taking yourself too seriously.
Connection is having a special, shared experience with others.
And flow is described as being so present and engaged that you lose track of time.
When you have all three - Playfulness, connection, and flow create fun.
So, how about you?
Are you experiencing these three elements in your life regularly?
I would definitely like more of them in my life.
Recently, I watched the Netflix documentary Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.
One of the secrets of these communities is having fun EVERY DAY, not by scrolling on their phones and watching TikTok, but by having daily connections, socializing, dancing, and drinking wine.
In all the blue zones except one, these centenarians drink one to two glasses of wine daily while socializing with others!
We have been so conditioned to go, go, go, and do, do, do, to try and put a dent into our never-ending to-do lists that we forget to have fun.
Some of us even forget how.
Playfulness, connection, and flow allow us to take a break from doing and experience being.
Connecting with BEING is fuel for doing and the key to avoiding burnout.
Connection is our superpower as human BEINGS.
When we’re having fun, we aren’t regretting the past or worrying about the future.
We’re present, and presence is power.
Take some time this week to be.
To allow yourself to let down, to shine, to be seen, and to be cherished for who you are.
It’s healing, and it’s energizing.