As you get older, you lose a little bit of that “automatic” ability to have fun. When you were a kid, all you needed was a stick that sort of looked like a gun, or a cloud that sort of shaped like a spaceship, and you could entertain yourself for hours having fun.
Adult life, however, is mired with impediments to fun: like work, bills, obligations, competitions and an increasing loss of wonder at the world. It can sometimes feel like the fun is no longer possible, or at the very least that it’s an experience you only get infrequently.
Luckily, it doesn’t much effort to turn things around, and with a few simple, proactive steps you can start having more fun. No, not the kind of fun that finds you with a searing hangover the next morning, but the kind of fun that has a wholly enriching impact on your wellbeing. Here’s how it’s done!
Try New Things
The less open you are to trying new things, and the more reliant you become on routine, the more closed off from the world you become. Part of having life-enriching fun is opening yourself up to the spirit of discovery once again. Rather than sitting on the couch binging Netflix on your days off, why not try something new this weekend like axe throwing?
Get out there, be bold and try a sport you’ve never tried before – the people you meet, and the experience you have, will be vastly more rewarding than whatever show you were watching.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
“Comparison is the thief of joy”. As long as you’re benchmarking your own success, your own sense of fun and satisfaction against other people, you will always feel like you’re coming up short. Instead, if you must make comparisons, make them to yourself in the past. Keep a brief journal of your own progress, and don’t be too rattled when life puts a few setbacks in your way.
Be More Spontaneous
This isn’t to say you should be reckless or irrational; just don’t feel like you have to plan every single moment of your life. Allow yourself the impulsivity to do something new and exciting when the opportunity presents itself. As mentioned above, if you have the chance to get out and try a new activity (axe throwing was the example used above), don’t labor over the decision – just do it!
Stop Watching, and Start Creating
Creation is a form of fun that has satisfaction built right into it. Instead of watching a cooking show, you cook yourself a delicious meal; instead of watching a movie, maybe you start writing your very own movie script; instead of listening to music, you pick up the guitar. It is important to have some form of creative outlet, not just for basic expression but also to add some satisfying fun to your life.
Life might not seem as fun as it once was, but with some minor adjustments in outlook and action, you can get back to having the time of your life!