This is one in a series of monthly articles from Gretchen Rubin’s book: The Happiness Project.
May’s Happiness Project is Leisure and Fun — being serious about play. Another interesting theme seeing many of us are struggling with how to have fun and what to do with our ‘leisure time’ during the coronavirus. Keep on reading to find some interesting ways to create happiness and fun.
May, the beginning of springtime, seems like the right time to work on my play — that is, the activities I did in my free time
… One way to feel good is to make time for play — which researchers define as an activity that’s very satisfying, has no economic significance, doesn’t create social harm, and doesn’t necessarily lead to praise or recognition. Research shows that regularly having fun is a key factor in having a happy life; people who have fun are twenty times as likely to feel happy.
Gretchen picked some areas where she desired to create leisure and fun. I am paraphrasing them here:
- Find more fun. While pondering this thought, Gretchen had the inspiration: What did she like to do when she was a child? Maybe doing what you enjoyed as a ten-year-old is probably something you’d enjoy now!
- Take time to be silly. Why do we feel we need to become so serious when we become adults and parents? Turning chores and tasks into silly games infect those around us with good cheer!
- Go off the path. Pushing yourself to encounter unexpected thoughts, unfamiliar scenes, new people, and contrasting situations can be sources of creative energy and happiness. Allow your curiosity, not your need for control, to drive you.
- Start a collection. Collections provide a purpose to enjoy the little things, like art, new places to visit, new ideas to explore. And creates an orderly accumulation of important memories.
Gretchen concluded her article by listing “fun” into three categories:
- Challenging fun which requires time and energy
- Accommodating fun which is takes lots of effort and coordination with other people
- Relaxing fun which is just easy (but does not bring as much happiness is the first two)
When I left my first marriage, I aggressively starting pursuing more fun! One of the first things I wanted to experience again was my love of dance. I had spent years in dance lessons and dance classes while growing up, but because my first husband didn’t like dancing, I stopped dancing.
After I left the marriage and got situated in a new home and job, I started looking for dance classes. As it turned out, the father of one of my young daughter’s friends taught dance. So off I went, learning a new style of dance.
I still look back on those years as the most fun I ever had. And as it turned out the dance teacher, who my daughter introduced me to, ending up becoming my husband!
Through those experiences, I learned to be silly again. To go off the path into new adventures and even picked up on some of my childhood collections. I began having fun again!
