Episode 13 - Season Fun
Episode12 - Season of Fun
It is now June and where I live the weather has been beautiful. The grass is green and the flowers are in bloom. We have actually received quite a bit of rain over the last few weeks which have left the mountains and valleys blanketed with vibrant greens and it is beginning to feel like summer. School is out and summer has officially begun. What better time than now to talk about fun.
When I googled the meaning of the word fun it is defined as pleasure, enjoyment, amusement, and joyous play. I love that!
I truly believe that we came to earth to learn, grow, and become but that we are also meant to experience joy which includes having fun.
I want to ask you some questions to help you get in the mindset of fun.
How often do you experience pleasure, amusement or joyous play?
I want to invite you to think back to the last time you remember enjoying yourself or having fun.
Was it more than a week or two ago?
If it has been longer than that for you, this episode is for you!
Now, there is one important thing I want you to remember and it is that having fun is up to each one of us.
Now, that is bad news because it is up to YOU to create your fun.
But that is also the good news. It is up to YOU to create the fun - to be the fun!
Fun can be whatever you want it to be.
There is only one rule - fun is something you enjoy doing.
Fun can be recreation, relaxation, or adventure.
It is about doing something just because it brings you joy.
It isn’t necessarily about a long-term goal, even though I am all for creating fun on the way to a long term goal.
But what I am talking about here is participating in something for the experience of it - for the fun of it.
Fun is the experience we create for ourselves.
This is done through our thoughts, our feelings and our actions.
For some, the idea of having fun can seem indulgent because it is believed to be something that one must earn.
There is the saying work hard, play hard. Or in other words, work hard and then you can play hard.
However, I believe that fun is essential to life and it is something we want to weave into the everyday of our lives and it doesn’t have to be saved for later.
I am going to share with you 6 reasons why I think it is important to incorporate fun into our lives right now.
Fun reduces stress. Allowing ourselves to laugh and have fun reduces the stress hormone, Cortisol, while at the same time increasing our feel-good hormones like dopamine. Bringing our hormones into balance can lead to lower blood pressure and prevent long-term diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. This could include getting outside and going for a walk, riding a bike, or any other physical activity but it could be as simple as being silly with friends and family or smiling at someone. For me, getting outside and being in nature just lightens my soul. Whether I am by myself or with others, I am rejuvenated and the stress of whatever has been going on for me lightens. One other thing I love to do is smile. I love looking people in the eye as I am walking past and smiling at them. It is fun for me to see how other people respond. Some people are a little surprised and give a half smile and there are some that don’t look up to even notice. But my favorite is when people get a big grin and smile right back.
Fun invites creativity. Taking a break from the stresses of life lets our mind run free for a while. It allows us to use our imagination and try new things through play. I think of my grandchildren. When they are playing, whether by themselves or with each other, they are creative. They are imaginative as they tell stories about their little play figures or stuffed animals. Oftentimes, they recruit me to join in their play. They invite me to imagine and be creative with them. Creating space in our lives allows room for imagination and creativity. When I started my blog a year and a half ago, I did it because it sounded fun. I wondered what it would be like. I would never have described myself as a writer, a blogger, or a podcaster for that matter but I decided it would be fun to try. Trying and believing it would be fun has invited creativity into my life and I love it.
Fun fosters healing. When we allow ourselves to take opportunities for fun and play we can actually create new and positive memories. This can be done alone or with others. Taking a break from the scheduled routine of life creates space to view our struggles with less worry or stress which can allow a broader perspective and remind us of the important things in life. For me, the last two years have been difficult with the passing of both of my parents. My sisters and I worked together through this difficult time. Caregiving was challenging for all of us. I wasn’t really prepared for this season of my life. My mom passed away in July of 2020. Right in the middle of COVID and my dad passed on my birthday last November. On both occasions my sisters and I were all together. I look back at the experiences of the last two years and as difficult as they were, we found ways to laugh and have fun. These will be memories I cherish forever.
Fun increases clarity. As I mentioned before, cortisol decreases when we are having fun. When cortisol is reduced we are better able to have a clearer mind. This allows us to be present which helps us to have better concentration and focus. I mostly work from home and many times during the day I pause and either look out of a window or I go outside and just breathe for a minute. I look at my surroundings and just notice. Noticing things like the blue sky, the trees in full bloom, the birds chirping, the sound of a car driving by, the squeak of the floor as my husband walks, the smell of the candle I am burning. This pause actually creates space in my brain. The clutter of ideas and worries in my mind that have been swirling around seem to settle down allowing the unimportant ones to fall away leaving space around the ideas I am working on growing. In a way it is like gardening. Clearing the weeds for the flowers to grow.
Fun creates energy. Fun decreases negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and depression which drain us both physically and mentally. By reducing these we have more energy to enjoy life. Taking the time to have fun can leave you feeling refreshed and ready for more. Having fun releases the feel-good hormones - endorphins, oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin which promote feelings of happiness, pleasure, and satisfaction. For me, I love walking with friends. Something about being outside, moving my body, and connecting with others is my happy place. When I get back home from my walks, I am rejuvenated and ready to go. I feel good. My worries and concerns are usually lighter and I feel an increased measure of love which leads me to number 6.
Fun nourishes connection. Fun and play release the hormone oxytocin which helps us build bonds with other human beings. Oftentimes, we are having fun with others which builds social skills and communication. I believe fun nourishes connection with self, others and God. In the example, I just gave about walking with friends, I feel love for myself, for my dear friends and family, and for God. I feel a connection to who I am and whose I am, a daughter of Heavenly Parents who love me. All human beings have a need to belong and to be loved. I believe as we incorporate fun into the everyday of our lives we can help meet that need for ourselves. This got me thinking of some of the seemingly simple and fun things over the last week that nourished connection within me - planting flowers with my daughters, watching a marco polo from a dear friend, a spontaneous lunch barbecue with my son, watching 20 young adults compete in their version of cupcake wars, serving a family in my neighborhood alongside other faithful women, laughing with my husband at something funny he said and sitting alone on my deck breathing in the summer air and just being.
Fun doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to be something you enjoy and that makes you smile. That brings joy to your soul.
Now go out there and have some fun!
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To schedule a free Discovery Call, join my Seasons of Joy Facebook Group, and register for my upcoming An Awakening Retreat go to Seasons Coaching.
Have a joyful week!
