5 Ways to Have More Fun in 2017
I’ve been torn about what to share in my first blog of 2017. Mulling it over with Taylor the other day, he recommended tips on how to “win your year,” and thus capitalize on this fresh start. I loved the idea, and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to do that today.
Instead, I’m feeling more inspired by a conversation I had with a dear friend recently. A discussion where she challenged me on whether I was having enough fun. I was stunned. While I absolutely get great joy and happiness out of my work and play, the more I thought about it I realized I'm not necessarily having a lot of fun.
You see, I love to create, learn, teach, and share, and while I definitely do prioritize self-care and rest, I can't say the same about fun.
So, since that chat I’ve been challenging myself to have more fun on a daily basis and to pay attention to what fun really means for me. With enough seriousness in the world, I hope the tips below inspire you to have a little more fun this year.
SPEND TIME OUTSIDE | Kids know this. They PINE for the outdoors. So get out there and don't be afraid to get dirty. On a walk around lovely Lincoln Park the other night I saw a huge pile of leaves and dropped into them almost immediately to make a leaf angel. While my husband was concerned that I would be leaf-angel-ing in a place where many dogs pee, I actually didn't care. It was freezing, I was bundled in a big coat with a hood attached, and I was having FUN.
RECONNECT TO YOUR INNER KID | My inner kid loves horses, singing, and creating things out of clay. While I haven’t yet found a place to horseback ride like I did was a little kid (the above picture is from our trip to Ireland last year), you better believe I'm going to in 2017! I'm also journeying to a craft store later this week to buy some clay and am 100% signing up for a pottery class in the coming weeks. As for the singing piece? One of the perks of working from home means more belting of the tunes - complete with wooden-spoon-imaginary-microphone of course.
WATCH A MOVIE DURING THE DAY | I know this sounds odd but I often feel guilty when watching TV. Maybe it’s because there’s always a giant stack of books nearby I feel I “should” be reading. Maybe it’s because it’s at the end of the day I'm worried about all the additional screen-time disrupting my circadian rhythms. Either way, there is something SO delicious and FUN about just watching a movie for the sake of your own enjoyment, during the day. The reading and circadian rhythms will be handled later. Try curling up with a mug of hot cocoa and indulge in some sweet screen time during the day.
TRY DIY | As some of you saw on Instagram, a few days ago I made a homemade deodorant. I have to say, it was as easy as it was fun. I will definitely be sharing this recipe and more DIY recipes with you shortly but while I was creating it, I wasn’t thinking about the blog, or my clients, or anything but how ooey and gooey and fun it was to mix all these random ingredients together in a double-boiler. And how magic it felt to be self-sufficient in that capacity. Also, after teaching a heated yoga class of 30, I’m happy to report, it works!!!
FINGER PAINT JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT | Notice I specifically said “finger paint” and not, paint a beautiful still life you’ve been meaning to and judge yourself about it from start to finish. No. I’m talking free form, messy, like a 3-year-old-did-it finger-paint. There’s something about that process that connects you to you intuition but also a sense of inner "who the heck cares what this looks like?" kind of fun. It’s liberating and wonderful.