At risk of stating the obvious…. the last 18 months have been difficult.
The uncertainty. The reckoning. The personal and societal mood swings.
Covid first stirred, then vigorously shook our lives and although the news is better, we are still in a state of uncertainty.
Thus, getting back to the art of living can still feel wearisome as we move forward towards a new, ambiguous normal.
In other words, we’re in transition. And transitions can be overwhelming and scary. They can leave of us feeling paralyzed and numb; unsure how to move forward while knowing there is no choice but to do so.
And that knowing that we must move forward can get in our way, especially if we get caught up in unrealistic thinking, expecting to know exactly where we are going. Add to that cultural pressure and expectation and it’s easy to see why we can end up feeling paralyzed.
Whew. It’s a lot for anyone, yet we think we should just plow forward, no matter how difficult.
But I have an alternative suggestion.
Step back and have some fun. But not just for fun’s sake!
You see, fun is vital to our happiness and our health. It lowers stress hormones and leaves us feeling more focused, creative, and productive.
Fun helps us rewire our brains from feeling trapped and anxious to feeling more joyful and hopeful. It is simple, free, and always available and gives us both a feeling of agency and a process for finding the good in our life.
Yet, we often resist fun because we worry that we’re just wasting time. Plus, we don’t want to look frivolous or be labeled a slacker.
But fun is neither a waste of time or frivolous. In fact, it’s an oft overlooked superpower.
So go ahead. Use this scientifically proven solution and go have some fun.
P.S. Need some funspiration? Make a list of 10 things you loved to do when you were a kid and pick one to try today. (Play Jacks, build Legos, put together a scavenger hunt, paint, draw, bake a batch of cookies without using a recipe, write a story, ride your bike, have a skipping race, roller skate, make popcorn and play a board game, make friendship bracelets, play hangman, hit a tennis ball against the garage, re-learn Ubbi dubbi, make Playdough, take apart an old electronic, make up a song, dance, learn a magic trick, make a trash sculpture, make a yarn pompom and add googly eyes or play tag.)
P.S.S. If fun for fun’s sake feels too decadent, take a turtle step and try a fun activity that’s also productive like washing the car (remember when that used to be fun?!?) or organizing your pictures or signing up for a writing class.