Putting the FU in FUN!!

Big fish caught small clown. Color vector illustration.Author Carlos Castaneda said: “It takes just as much energy to be miserable as it does to be happy.” You choose.

Is your fun-o-meter score registering a HUGE 0? If so, it may be time to FUN SHUI your life.  In fact, if you want to live a more happy and balanced life, it’s just plain FUNdamental to add more playfulness and laughter.  After all, fun is one of the best things to have!

Becoming a fount of fun is not as difficult as it might seem, and it will make you much more attractive :-).

Did you know that laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain and conflict?  Nothing works faster and more dependably to bring your body back to balance than a good laugh (exercise does this too, but it takes longer).  Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused and alert.

Have you ever heard yourself saying, “I’ll laugh about this later?”  Yikes!!! This is one time when I would suggest abandoning delayed gratification.   LAUGH NOW.

Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping your relationships fresh and exciting.  For example, if you incorporate more humor and play into your daily interactions with your partner, it can translate into more spontaneity and more intimacy.  What’s not to like about that? So, how does one begin to add more laughter day-to-day?  Here are some ways to begin:

SMILE—It’s the beginning of laughter.  Like laughter, smiling is contagious.  Smiling at yourself in the mirror or better yet, someone else, is the best gift you can give!

GRATITUDE—Make a list of things for which you are thankful.  This simple act will keep you focused on the positive and will distance you from negative thoughts that are keeping you stuck.
Spend time with FUN people!  These are people who laugh easily, both at themselves and at the absurdities of life.  Don’t spend your time with tight- butts who can’t see the humor in anything.
Bring humor into conversations by asking people, “What’s the funniest thing that happened to you today, this week, or ever?”  Try posting this on Facebook and see how many comments and humorous stories you get.

FIND THE HUMOR—That’s right, GET OVER YOURSELF.  Share your most embarrassing moments. Doing so lets others see your human side. LAUGH NOW—If you think you will laugh about it later. Why waste the time? Ask and answer, “What’s funny about this?”

CREATE A WHIMSICAL SPACE—My husband and I had a picture of Kramer, the beloved, nutty Seinfeld character above our fireplace.  It sparked many a conversation and light moment.  At the end of a rough day, there is nothing like a fire, a buttery chardonnay and a view of “The Kramer.”

Your ability to laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more enjoyable but also helps you solve problems, connect with others and be more creative.  People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives find that it renews them and all of their relationships, most of all the relationship with themselves.  How many times in the last week have you laughed out loud?  Simply put, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships and supporting physical and mental health.

Life brings challenges that can either get the best of you or become playthings for your imagination.  When you are the problem, it’s often because you take YOU too seriously.  When you do this, you make it more difficult to think outside the box.  Stop feeding your gremlin and play with a problem by thinking of different scenarios and solutions.  This way, you can transform it into an opportunity for creative learning.

Big fish caught small clown. Color vector illustration.

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.