Why You Owe it to Yourself to Have Fun

I feel that having fun is underrated. So many of us are brought up to believe that having fun is somehow wrong — that it is selfish to want to do what we enjoy doing. There seems to be this moral imperative drilled into us at an early age that we must accommodate others and their needs first, making our own interests and passions the last priority. I am here to tell you that this is all wrong headed – and I think you’re going to agree that I make a lot of sense when I explain why.

We all need to laugh, enjoy the moment, have fun.

I wonder if you know that old Beatles song She’s Leaving Home? A few things about that song – about a young girl running away from home – raise some very interesting questions. In the song, the parents are upset because of their thoughtless runaway daughter, while they struggled to make ends meet with “never a thought for ourselves.” Later in the song is the line fun is the one thing that money can’t buy. The song seems to speak about a family where selflessness and industry is enshrined, and having fun is frowned upon and disapproved of.

I think we find echoes of this in our lives as well where knowingly or unknowingly we are made to feel guilty about having fun, taking time out for ourselves and doing things we enjoy. I am pretty sure you’re going to be surprised by the answers to these questions. Let me ask you: How comfortable are you with just spending an hour with a friend talking and laughing about silly, inconsequential stuff? Do you head out for a walk by yourself because sometimes you just want to be by yourself? Do you give yourself permission to just be… maybe lighting a few candles and relaxing with a cup of something comforting? Will you let yourself do all of this while there are kids wanting your attention, chores that need doing?

Add a little play – to each day.

Here’s why you need to make time for fun, play, and enjoyment. As the old adage goes, you cannot pour from an empty jug. If you don’t nourish yourself and your soul, you don’t have what you need to nourish others around. More importantly, you’re not happy! If you’re not happy, your problem-solving abilities are compromised and you’re functioning is below par. This is not ideal for tapping into your creative abilities. You need to be able to take time out to do the stuff you love doing, you need to let yourself just be you. This is when the ideas start to flow into you.

Join me for my program Soul Manifesto and let me share with you some of the ways you can steal some moments of your own day to have some fun. Find out why you need to have fun and learn how to do this guilt-free – because this is good for you and for everyone else around you.