How to Actually Have More Fun
Ping pong makes me swoon. Photo by Quinn Corte, 2022.
Listen to the audio version below:
How to Actually Have More Fun
In this post, I made a seriously solid argument for why we should be having more fun. But how do we actually do it?
Fun isn’t only something that happens on vacation. Just like rest, ease, or renewal, we need to weave fun into our daily lives. Fun can be free. Fun can happen in your neighborhood. Fun is within reach.
Think about what you might add to your regular rituals to make them fun. If you add a funny friend, does a simple task become fun? If you listen to a certain type of music, can commuting change from a drag to a joy?
When fun is hard to access, try seeking experiences that make you feel alive, that make your heart thump, that make you laugh. Or try searching for novelty. Newness is a gateway to fun.
Remember, having fun doesn’t have to be wild and crazy. We can lower the bar for what’s fun. If you’re having a hard time, fun may look more like sweet comfort, small delights, or a spark of joy.
And what's fun is so personal. Your fun horror movie is my personal hell. And my fun dance lesson might be your "hell no." So let's investigate.
Here are five list-making prompts about how to have more fun, along with a few answers of my own. Grab a notebook and answer for yourself!
I feel more fun when I…
1. Am experiencing something new
2. Leave my house
3. Play great music (here are my cooking and driving playlists)
4. Am around fun people
5. Wear a great outfit
It's easier to have fun when…
1. I'm not trying to be productive
2. I'm attentive to the present moment
3. I'm not in a stress response
4. I'm not trying to control things
5. It’s sunny outside
I can’t help but have fun when…
1. Playing outside with a dog or kid
2. I’m somewhere other people are having fun (arcade, beach, playground, swimming pool)
3. I skip instead of walk
4. There’s a beach ball or balloons to bat around
5. Playing a board game
When I was a kid, I found these things the most fun...
1. Playing dress up
2. Making forts with sheets
3. Starting mini-businesses
4. Writing stories
5. Putting on shows
Some things I find fun these days are…
1. Getting to know someone new
2. Playing and picnicking near a body of water in the sunshine
3. Taking little road trips to have lunch and explore a new area
4. Watching action movies on the living room floor with popcorn
5. Experimenting with art supplies while chatting
Fortunately/unfortunately, I think fun is one of those things you have to actually do in order to get the hang of it. So, could we make a pledge? Let's try having a little more fun. Let your lists serve as inspiration this month.