Yes, whether it is about money, school, work, organizations, or our imperfections we see every time we look in the mirror, we are often guilty of focusing too much precious energy on what we cannot control.
It seems lately I have spent a lot of time worrying and little having fun. As many of you may be experiencing, it is that time of year where school is almost over and you have to apply and decide what roles you will take on for the next year (officer roles, clubs you will or will not be participating in, etc.). Going home for Easter was a wonderful retreat from the hectic world full of choices that seems to always weigh heavy in the back of my mind.
It was during my time at home that a special someone reminded me of a VERY important rule when it comes to life…we MUST have FUN!
My amazing little brother, Ronnie, allowed me to be taken back to my high school memories of playing tennis, hanging out in the park, and cruising around in the truck with the music blaring and windows rolled down. He and I had an AWESOME time doing all three of these this past Friday and Saturday! For the first time in a long time my mind was clear and at peace.
Why should be have fun in life when there is so much work to do??
We can spend all of our life worrying about all the work to be done, and yet at the end of the day, there will still be work. Our purpose is never ending, meaning we will continually be striving to achieve higher and higher standards. In order to not BURN ourselves out, FUN must be built in!
Have you ever heard the story about the two lumber jacks? They each race to see who can cut down the most trees. After about 100 trees, one of the lumber jacks stops to sharpen his saw. The other one scoffs at him for stopping, and he continues on with his blade as is. Once the other lumber jack joined back in with his sharpened saw he cut trees twice as fast, winning the competition easily. Moral of the story is, FUN and PLAY is our way of sharpening our saw and continue on working efficiently towards our end goal.
Fun is important, so go ahead, play. J
How can we ensure that we take the time out to have fun?
There is a different secret for each of us to ensure we are reminded to have FUN. Personally, people is the key for me. When I allow myself to be constantly surrounded by work-a-holics (much like me), then I am become stressed out and only able to focus on ALL that there is to be completed. However, when I choose to balance my time with my working peers and encouraging, light-hearted friends I am then introduced to a more refreshing lifestyle. Three of the greatest people at encouraging me to have fun in Manhattan are my roommates: Michelle, Sara, and Emily. All there have unique ways of relaxing. Michelle and I go out to the barn and play with our horses, Sara loves her TV shows, and Emily loves cooking and doing random adventures in town.
How can you ensure you are reminded to have fun? You can do what I do and surround yourself with “Fun Encouragers.” If that is not your style, perhaps try writing a note to yourself and hanging it on your mirror. Or, schedule into your planner time to “relax, refresh, and enjoy,” after a long day.
Whatever it takes, it’s important we make sure we build playtime into our lives. We only have one life to live, so why not enjoy it?
Quick thanks:
Thank you to my roommates for being my “fun” encouragers, and a BIG thank you to my little brother Ronnie who helped me reflect on how I was spending my time.
Hope you all have a fun day.
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