August 2008 Newsletter
Online Issue # 19

Practice Page

“It’s fun to have fun, but you have to know how.”

-from The Cat In The Hat
by Doctor Seuss

Here’s an idea for you to think about, write about, talk about, wonder about, and try out.

When finances are tight at work and at home, one of the first things to be eliminated is the fun stuff. It’s considered nonessential and an unwise use of limited funds. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s the fun that makes life and work and us more enjoyable. It allows us to tap important aspects of ourselves including our imagination, creativity, and personality. Fun grows self-esteem, confidence, well-being, loyalty, and community. It reduces the negative effects of stress, worry, fear, loneliness, and over working. We improve our world and ourselves when we know how to have fun.

There is one plus side to tighter finances: it motivates people to evaluate what is truly fun. Some of the costly events/ activities we sponsor and participate in might have outlived their fun. Maybe they were fun at one time, but they no longer feel that way. Others never were. It’s important to ask, What’s fun now?

Challenge: Change what you do to make it even more fun and more affordable too!

What is the essence of fun anyway? How do you know when something is fun for you? Using these clues, what else would allow you to have fun?

Making a list might be a place to begin.

My example

• begin with one fun thing

Mine is travel.

• get specific, identify what makes it fun

Before I automatically add the word travel to my list, I consider that not all of travel is fun (retrieving luggage, delayed or canceled flights, feeling sick away from home, getting lost). So, I try to identify all that makes travel fun for me: going and being somewhere else -- taking a plane or train -- being on a ferry, boat, ship -- researching destinations -- all of the possibilities -- eating good food and drinking good coffee in different places -- seeing new things -- finalizing reservations -- talking with others who enjoy travel -- visiting travel web sites -- meeting interesting people -- people watching -- waking up in a different place

• branch out with more specifics related to any fun

As the list begins to develop, I let go of where the list started and focus on the specifics of any fun: laughing -- wanting to do something again -- doing what I don’t normally do -- being outside -- sitting at an outdoor cafe -- listening to music -- relaxing near water -- drinking coffee -- having dessert -- wearing a hat -- walking on a boardwalk -- going to a museum -- walking -- watching trains, ships and planes -- appreciating art

• make plans or be spontaneous, but create what’s clearly fun

spend an hour sitting at an outdoor cafe enjoying a cup of coffee and people watching

Many of the things I listed are doable today and cost very little or nothing. Travel might still be the ultimate fun, but by identifying and doing more of the things that are fun to do when traveling—like spending an hour sitting at an outdoor cafe enjoying a cup of coffee and people watching—I get to have fun now, closer to home, and in a truly affordable way.

Now It’s Your Turn

• begin with one fun thing
• get specific, identify what makes it fun
• branch out with more specifics related to any fun
• make plans or be spontaneous, but create what’s clearly fun

Begin with something you know is fun for you. Instead of writing this at the top of your list, try to identify the specifics of what makes this fun. Make a list of these specific details and then branch out by adding to your list any other specifics you associate with having fun, e.g. staying up late, sleeping in, remembering and telling funny stories, anticipation, enjoying good chocolate, watching favorite movies....

Just because something costs a lot, or costs more, doesn’t guarantee it will be fun for you. If you feel you have less money to play with this summer, it doesn’t mean you need to cancel or postpone having fun. Why not use your list of clues to create more of what’s fun for you? You might need to change how and where you do things and be more creative than you’ve been lately, but creativity and change can add to the fun.

Wishing you good times in August.

Laurie Mattila
© August 2008

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