While this question sounds as if it’s coming from a bored five-year-old, it’s not. I’m asking it, wondering when it’s OK to start having fun again.
Surprised I even uttered this question aloud, as soon as the words exited my mouth, the answer became crystal clear. Now is the perfect time to add fun back into our life.
Maybe you never stopped having fun, and if that is the case, congratulations for keeping the joy alive. However, many of us have put fun on pause, instead settling for hanging in, taking things one day at a time, or simply doing our best. After all, haven’t these been typical responses when asked how we’ve been?
For the past 15 months, we’ve relinquished everyday activities, events, and behaviors coined as fun in an effort to adhere to health guidelines and care for those at risk. Refraining from our favorite pastimes, we searched for new ways to entertain ourselves.
Certainly, a pause was necessary, but how long do we put things on hold? When is it time to reemerge and reengage with the pleasures of life?
Perhaps there’s a tinge of guilt surrounding the concept of having fun. It is as though we’re supposed to be in the trenches, fighting, alert, and aware. Enjoying or indulging may not feel right. Afterall, how can we be happy in a world filled with so much sadness? And what about others — how will they react if they see us having fun?
No doubt we know many who have experienced enormous sorrows and hardships. While we cannot change what has happened, we can continue to support these individuals and permit ourselves to smile. Take a walk, appreciate the newly blooming flowers, and observe the beauty outdoors. Look for the little things to brighten your day. It’s critical we allow fun because denying our ability to kick back and relax only invites negative long-term consequences. As humans we need touch, laughter, happiness, and joy not only to thrive, but also to survive in this crazy world.
Since the beginning, I’ve had huge concerns about the long-term mental health effects ignited by COVID-19. Whether someone’s paralyzed at the thought of becoming sick, self-isolating, or numbing — overly indulging in food, alcohol, drugs, TV, or social media — the pandemic is hurting society in more ways than death, illness, and financial loss.
Our children need the socialization of attending school on a regular basis. Likewise, it’s important for older folks to see children and grandchildren. Isolation has a huge emotional toll on individuals and their families.
And when we’ve needed each other the most, we’ve being kept apart, fearful that we will cause harm, especially to those we love. Social distancing and masks — while intended to keep us safe — have harmful effects on our minds. Requiring a physical distance and barrier is a constant reminder that others — many who you hold dear to your heart — can make you sick. Plus, masks prevent us from fully seeing one another. Think about this impact, especially on young our children.
While we may not be able to find a perfect solution to today’s problems, having some fun may be a path to ease the pain. Plus, it will brighten our day.
A friend of mine built a company with the hope of encouraging people to do this exact thing — have more fun. Naming it HSFT - Have Some Fun Today, she offers beautiful clothing and accessories created to remind ourselves and others that we have the ability to choose fun. Below is a direct quote from her website:
#HSFTWOMEN (DEF):
#HSFTwomen (def): We're a tribe, of sorts. A squad, a posse, a collective community. We're connected as much by what makes us different as what makes us the same. We're movers and shakers, designers and artists, writers and thinkers, and glass ceiling breakers. We're creators who were inspired to create something that inspires others.
Mission: Share the positive vibration. Find your passion and live a life of joy!
Never before has the “HSFT” phrase been more appropriate than today because when we are in a state of fun, our energetic level, vibration, outlook improves. It’s what shifts our perspective, elevating us so we can detect the sparkles of sun in a cloudy sky. And when we are truly having fun, it becomes contagious … in a good way. Experiencing joy not only heals us, but the ripple effect also extends to others.
No doubt fun appears differently to each of us. Maybe it’s blowing bubbles with a young child, sitting on the beach while reading a great book, or perhaps it’s merely laughing with friends over a glass (or two) of wine. Regardless of how you see fun, find it. Embrace it. Then share it with others.
Have Some Fun Today! This is how we raise the state of joy around us. And that, my friend, is how we will lift ourselves and each other, creating a better tomorrow.
And as a special gift from my friend, here is a 25% off code for her site — funin2021— https://havesomefuntoday.com
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