Recently I’ve noticed a particular theme which grabs my attention from time to time.
As I listen to people talk about the various trials and tribulations of life, it becomes apparent that when consumed by these life challenges, one of the first things to get squeezed out of the schedule is … having fun.
It seems to start so subtly that it operates off the radar thus stealing the opportunities for fun without even being noticed. Sometimes it’s years before people realise that they have unwittingly allowed themselves to lose or to stop investing time in all the very things that bring them joy.
There is a further pattern to the things that appear to get stolen which is that they are usually creative in nature. For some it will be painting or sketching or for others something musical or baking and so the list goes on and on.
Fun takes different forms for all.
But we all need fun.
But it’s as if at some point within adulthood, these activities get thrown in the back room, often to never be seen again. Once out of sight, they get forgotten about. As if these are things that we simply grow out of or cease to need.
I think quite the opposite is true for once we enter the world of adulting with all its responsibility and seriousness, I think we need the fun, physical and playful stuff even more than ever! If only to balance out the heaviness of all the grown up stuff.
Yet it is as if play is written off as only being the domain of those officially known as ‘children’.
What nonsense!
Why should the little people get all the fun?
Don’t we need it even more?!
It is almost like there is an unwritten rule that folk unwittingly sign up to that banishes all fun in favour of responsibility, as if the two cannot be interwoven.
No wonder so many adults are bitter and resentful about their lot.
Fun, play and creativity are the very aspects of life that nourish us sufficiently to do all the big stuff.
They provide us with a source of joy.
We need them.
And we let them go at our peril.
I became aware that I had allowed myself to lose some of my playtime during the seriousness of my many years of studying and training. I felt like my creative juices had ceased to flow. Blocked up by an imbalance of work.
And so I dedicated a year to reclaiming the gift of fun.
Big time.
I enrolled the help of an excellent book called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, which guided me through the very important yet oh so fun business of reclaiming some of my favourite things; downtime, play and underpinning all … creativity.
I rediscovered old joys like baking cakes (and of course eating them), writing, dancing and reading but I’ve also discovered new ones like solo trips to the coast, singing and pilates.
Fun matters.
It’s good for our health and wellbeing.
Seriously.
No matter what stresses or strains we are in the midst of experiencing, the need for fun not only remains but actually increases in the face of challenges. Thus it is down to us to proactively invest in making time to indulge in those things that bring us joy.
Laughter, fun and play really are medicine.
Soul medicine.
Whilst applying these principles at a barn dance last Saturday night, I got in to a conversation with a teacher who was discussing how schools are cutting physical education and the arts from the curriculum. What a shortsighted and misguided way to attempt to increase and improve academia.
What a tragedy.
And a false economy.
Unless we want to produce a generation of robots taught/programmed to produce ‘results’ no matter the cost, or the loss of soul.
When did we stop recognising the value of fully rounded individuals who know how in the words of the old Mars advert, to ‘work, rest and play’.
The ‘work, work, work’ philosophy doesn’t work.
Not for anyone, anywhere, at anytime.
Except as a life shortening and quality of life removing activity.
In order to function fully, us humans need physical activity, play, downtime and creativity.
Whilst these are being further and further squeezed out, is it any wonder we’re becoming a nation of zombies sat transfixed by the latest series on the TV/Ipad/Technology.
Life really is too short and too full of unexpected challenges for us to allow the fun parts to be stolen.
Now is the time to reclaim our ability to play, to be active, to create and overall … to have FUN!