Are You Having Fun Yet?

Ok....let's talk about FUN!

Hands up if you are someone who loves to have fun!

Me too. I love to have fun - both at work and at home and I am pretty sure that most people love to as well.

I also know that having fun is something we all wish we could have more of in our day to day lives. 

Do you sometimes forget to have fun?

I do! Not on purpose though but purely because when life gets busy and things get hectic and there are a million and one things to do on my to-do list, I am so focused on getting through everything that I think..."I will have fun at the end when I am done. I don't have time to have a lot of fun right now!"

We are nearly halfway through the second term of the school year and this term is a week longer than normal. So this term started with teachers already feeling the pressure of the amount of work they need to get through and also the fact that we know, at the end of this term, we will have pushed ourselves and our students so much that everyone will feel exhausted and still have an extra week to push through.

Now I know other people and other jobs feel pressures and stresses as well but throw into the mix - 24 six-year-olds (or 6-10year olds!) and it changes the game slightly!

So, how do you get through the days and the weeks and still feel like you're having some fun?

This week, my students had an assessment to do. It was a big one. Knowing that kids feel the pressure of wanting to do their best for you to start, my intention was to help them feel more relaxed by bringing in some humour and fun and allowing them to know it is okay to have fun, regardless of what you are doing! The result was I got to witness a few fun and quirky moments with some students who, at the beginning of the year, were flat out speaking because they were so anxious and nervous! This makes me very happy!

As I reflected on the week that has passed with my class and my teaching partner and her class - I realised what the 'thing' is that helps us to have fun in our days, even though it is a crazy busy day and we feel a range of emotions throughout it.

 It is not just one thing that can help us to have fun! It is lots of things and all we have to do is be open, show up and allow ourselves to be seen!

 Be yourself. Allow yourself to shine through and relax and remember your humour! 

 FUN = Fully Utilising Now. I am not sure who originally said this but I heard it a couple of years ago. Having fun simply means - making the MOST of every moment you are in. You only have the moment you are in. You don't have your past and you don't even have your future because, by the time you get to your future, you are in a new present moment. So...why are we not making the most of every moment we are in? Even if it is sitting and reading or drinking a glass of wine with your partner or friend.

 There is no fear when you are having fun. Having fun changes what you are focusing on. If you change what you are focusing on to making the most of the moment - laughing, smiling, enjoying your life - then fear is significantly decreased.

  Creativity is intelligence having fun. (Albert Einstein) The more we allow our bodies to relax and have fun with whatever we are doing, the more it allows the creative side of our brain to open up and step forward. We have difficulties being creative when our bodies are under stress so it makes sense that the opposite allows us to be more creative! I have observed this in class with students who produce an incredible quality of work when they are relaxed and enjoying the moment.

 Never underestimate the importance of fun! Think back to the moments and experiences where you walked away saying, "Oh my goodness! That was so much fun!" What was it that made it fun and how long did you keep that feeling for? Not only that...how often do you look back at those moments and relive them? Never underestimate the importance of clean, good ol' fashioned fun!

 No one looks silly when they're having fun! When we are in the moment...sometimes we might feel silly. When I watch people having fun - I might get a bit of a giggle out of it and might be entertained because to start with, it might look silly but then I realise the people involved are having fun and it becomes contagious! Besides....who cares what you look like when you're having fun, right?

 Even though you're growing up (or a grown up) you should never stop having fun! Life would be terribly boring if we were not enjoying ourselves and the company of others and having fun along the way.

What do we need to remember to have fun in each day and show our little humans that regardless of what we are doing, we can make anything fun?

 It's all about choice. If fun is about Fully Utilising Now - then our job is to figure out how to make WHATEVER WE ARE DOING - fun. 

 How can I make doing [insert activity] fun today?

 Life is a one time offer. I have said this before and I will say it again - we only get one shot at this! Use your time well. Have fun, be crazy, be silly, laugh, cry! But stop complaining about the fact that you wish you had more fun and just go and have it!

 How can I CREATE more fun in my life today?

 What would my inner child have fun doing?

 If I knew no-one actually cared about what I was doing (which most people don't because they are too busy worrying about their own lives :D) what could be doing right now that would be fun?

 If you have to do it anyway - you may as well get involved and have some fun! I am pretty sure I say this several times a week to my class! Because let's face it - there are some things that we just do not want to do but we have to! So we can either be in pain about it and complain and be miserable doing it OR we can get in there and get involved and have fun and it will make it more enjoyable to do!

 If you had to guess, what do you think might be fun about doing [insert activity]?

 Just keep taking chances and having fun. Part of having fun and fully utilising now is taking some risks and some chances and just going for it! 

  What would be the best outcome or result, if you just had some fun and went for it?

 Having fun is contagious! If you are having fun, you give permission for the people around you to have fun as well!

 What can I do to allow those around me to know it is okay to have fun too?

We ALL deserve an amazing and incredible life. We are all worthy of having one. We don't need to be famous or saving the world to live this amazing and incredible life. 

We just need to Fully Utilise Now! Having fun! Spend time with friends, family, at home or at work and create the fun moments as often as you can! They can be as big or as small as you like. It really does not matter. But your life deserves to be fun.

Because let's face it - if you are having fun...the chances are - the people around you are having fun too! Big and little humans alike!

If you're not having fun then you're doing something wrong!

Groucho Marx

 Until next week...have a fabulously fun week!

Clarissa xo