Have more FUN SPIRIT this year.

New Year Dog by mphoenix

I’m re-inventing my blog this year. Over time it’s fallen by the wayside. I originally wrote about how to have fun, or how fun is good for your mind and health. Eventually I ran out of ideas. I wasn’t having fun. (Well I was having SOME fun, but not enough for me to have ideas to tell you how to have fun.)

This year the blog will just be anything fun – in any and all of it forms. After all, sometimes fun isn’t about laughter or being silly. For me, lots of times it’s about having time to read a book, or learn a new skill or even bargain shop at the local flea market. (I’ve gotten some unusual things that way!)

Also – what’s fun for me may not be fun for you. Thanks Gretchen for that tidbit of wisdom. So I’m just going to write about my fun. What I know. If you know of other, better ideas – share them. Most of us want to have fun, but sometimes we run out of ideas. That’s why we need this blog. So we never lose that FUN SPIRIT. J

Here’s some fun ideas I’ve heard others doing lately that sound good but I haven’t gotten around to:

• Baking cookies. YUM! Or cupcakes or brownies too!
• Getting a massage. Haven’t had one yet, always make up the time or money excuse, but man this is one I need to do. A coworker came back from a one-day spa day and looked VERY relaxed upon her return. Oh yeah.
• Seeing a play or musical. This is something I’ve been more interested in lately as my tastes have changed. To hear the live music and the bright costumes would be cool. How about the Wizard of Oz?
• Amusement parks and rollercoasters. It’s winter, so most of my parks are closed. But I lived in FL for almost 20 years and they were open all year. I miss going. Hello Disney World!

Some fun ordinary things I’ve done lately:

• Taken a walk at the park in the sun. This was a big deal for me since it’s been a cold winter before winter even officially began. The sun and warm tempatures was a nice change – even if only for a day.
• Read “The Magician – The secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel”. This is book 2 in a series. Has everything you need – immortals, monsters, super powers, danger and a quest to save the world. Book 2 in a series.
• Played my new Wii. I finally got one for Christmas. I like the idea of being able to pop in and out of a game for 15 minutes or 30 minutes at a time. This way I don’t have to complete every level or collect every hidden item. Just play for a while and have fun.
• Watched Despicable Me again. I like animated movies, and this one was fun. I don’t know what it is about those funny little minions, but they are just too cute. Of course any movie that includes a freeze ray, shrink ray and octopus gun has to be good.
• Falling off my balance ball. I got a fitness ball for Christmas, and was surprised to find that even simple looking moves are much harder than I thought. The amazing thing is that I had so much fun laughing at myself for not being able to keep my balance that I kept trying the exercise again and again. (Note – the same thing originally happened when I tried to learn to juggle. Some things are too much fun to mess up just once.)

This year, let’s all invest more in our FUN SPIRIT. Let’s have fun, and share that fun with others. Perhaps we’ll find common interests, or explore a new interest. Let’s try hard to make sure we relax, unwind, laugh, smile and enjoy our life more. A worthy goal for anyone.

Take a Chance.

Photo by Powderruns

Take a chance. Be silly, risk embarrassment, try something new. Even though you may mess up, make a mistake or fail, it’s worth the attempt. When you loosen up and give things a chance you’re open yourself to new opportunities, new friendships, and new fun.

Take today for example. A coworker came over and asked if I would put a hat on backwards and join her in signing happy birthday to a coworker turning 50. I was embarrassed, but decided to do it. And it was funny! The coworker was embarrassed too, but pleased about the attention and we got a couple of laughs. It was a great way to break up the workday.

Too many people don’t try anything new because they’re afraid of looking stupid. But that’s crazy thinking. We don’t teach our children not to try – if we did they’d never learn to walk, ride a bike or do a million other things. And most people won’t make fun of you – they’ll congratulate your effort and encourage you to keep going.

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten. Tony Robbins

If you don’t try, you’ll never know. How do you know you can’t draw if you haven’t put in any practice? Are you sure you can’t garden just because you killed your first plant? We all continue to learn and grow every day. Something we were afraid of yesterday could turn out to be our newest talent today.

Isn’t the worst thing to have never tried at all? It’s like the saying “better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.” Isn’t it better to receive some love and then lose it, then never to experience love at all? Life is like that. If you do it and it fails, then you’ve learned something. But what if you do it and it works beyond your wildest dreams? Anything is possible.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
Vincent van Gogh

Life is best when experienced firsthand. It’s the roller coaster ride into the unknown. Your first time on a plane. Singing in front of a crowd. Jumping off the high dive. The exhilaration of climbing that mountain, taking that first step of new journey. It’s what keeps our dreams alive.

Take the chance. Dare to dream. Do something different. Even if you fail, you’ll have learned something along the way. That’s a reward in itself.

Happiness Goals.

Dynamic Maggi by Ali Brohi

In the last few months thousands if not millions of people have been worried, scared, frustrated and upset by the roller coaster ride that is our economy. But what can you do in the face of all the instability, bad news and fear? Now is the time to focus on yourself.

Start by beginning to make a set of happiness goals. Some of the things that can bring you happiness may be health, friends, leisure activities and hobbies, work satisfaction, being creative, learning a new skill, have harmonious relationships, and contributing to a goal bigger than yourself.

So how do you begin? Let’s dream big! Start by imagining your perfect life. What is different about it? What kind of job do you have? Do you have more spare time? Are you more relaxed? Do you workout everyday? What activity gets you animated and excited?

Now start listing the steps it will take to achieve your dreams. List big steps and little steps. They could be:

1. Read more books.

2. Start a garden.

3. Exercise 3 times a week.

4. Get rid of debt.

5. Have more fun.

A goal list will give you direction and purpose. Writing down your goals and posting them where you can see them helps keep you on track. I suggest keeping your list on your computer where you can update them at will.

Make weekly and monthly goals. For instance, for your monthly goal, you could add steps to your goals, such as:

1. Books – make a book list of favorite subjects, authors and titles.

2. Garden – subscribe to magazine, or join garden club.

3. Exercise – buy new videos to make workout more fun.

4. Debt - save $200 a month.

5. Fun – go to the movies one night this month.

You could also have long term goals and short term goals. Your long term goal may be to start a new career, and your short term goal could be to take a career test online to find out what kind of work you like to do.

Remember not everyone enjoys the same things as you. Don’t let anyone criticize your goals and dreams. Some people might love to take a dance class and meet new people, while others would be more content in a solitary pursuit like writing or painting. Do what you love – not what others think you should do.

What could be better than working on your happiness? Just the thought of it makes me smile! Of course I can’t begin to dive into all the joys and benefits of increasing your happiness. But I know from experience that is possible. For more great insight in happiness visit these sites:

Top ten happiness tips

The Happy Guy

The Happiness Project

The Happiness Institute

Happiness.com

30 Happiness Tips

52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity

9 Tips that Lead to Happiness

7 Tips for Making Yourself Happier in the Next Hour

7 Easy Ways to Add Zest to Your Day.

Lily and Trixie by Emery_Way

1. Add more color. Red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, green. Color wakes up the senses and helps you feel more alert. Color livens up a room, a presentation, or your office cubicle. Wear brightly colored clothing or your favorite color when you’re feeling down.

2. Move around. Get that body moving. Stretch, dance, take a walk. It’s amazing how simply raising your arms above your head or touching your toes can make you feel more awake. Easy head and shoulder rolls can relieve stiffness you didn’t even realize you had. Exercise can get your blood flowing to that old noggin of yours and help you think better. Not to mention those wonderful endorphins that help us feel better.

3. Sound. Sound influences much of our mood. From construction noises and blaring traffic horns to the soothing sounds of a waterfall, sound can irritate or calm us. Surround yourself with the music and noises that appeal to you. Put the sound of the ocean waves in your office to cover the hum of the air conditioner. Turn on a talk radio program to keep out the door slams and footfalls of your neighbors. Or simply listen to the silence. Whether you enjoy a noisy environment or a quiet one, sound can make a dramatic difference in your day.

4. Inspiration. Inspiration can come from anywhere, a painting, a toy, a photo memory of family, a quote, or even a book. Darth Vader can remind you not to give in to your “dark side,” or a picture of beach can remind you of the vacation you are working toward. A bluebird statue might remind you to look for the “bluebird of happiness” in your day. Motivation and inspiration can help keep you going. Look for unique and unusual ideas that fit your personal style.

5. Take a break. One of the biggest mistakes I consistently see in adults, is the notion that taking a break is a waste of time and that if they keep working they will get more done. The truth is that when you take a few minutes out of your day to rest and rejuvenate, it refreshes both your body and MIND. It helps you to slow down, refocus, and often see mistakes you were previously too busy to notice. Whether you take 5 minutes or 15, use the opportunity to take a few deep breaths and relax before returning to your task. Both you and your work will benefit from it.

6. Laugh it off. Laughter is an instant energizer and blues remedy. Whether sharing a joke with a friend, reading the comics, or tearing a page off of your Cute Overload calendar to see a cute fluffy bunny, humor and fun will lift your spirits and brighten your day. Try taking comedy CDs to work, keeping a Nintendo DS or Gameboy in your drawer, or using a Magic 8 ball to tell you when it’s time for lunch. You’ll be ready to face the rest of the afternoon with a smile on your face.

7. Do things differently. Take a new route to work. Exercise in the morning instead of the evening. Try new things. Ride a motorcycle, take up archery, learn to play the harmonica. Change is good for you. It stimulates the senses and activates the mind. Life is beautiful in its infinite variety. Try a bit of the unfamiliar and find out what you’ve been missing!

See also: New Ideas to Spice Up Your Life.

Good Times Get You Through.

Dreamin’ – Hot Air Balloon Rides by stop.down

This past weekend a beloved family member passed away. While we knew she was ill since last January, it was still a tough process to go through. For me, many of my happier memories are what helped me get through the tough times.

Often we think of fun and joy as frivolous and silly. We may think there are more important things, like our job, our house, our children and our bodies. While these things are important, they mean little to nothing if not enjoyed.

If all we did was labor at work, toil at home, or slave on the treadmill, life would be a boring, dull wasteland. If not what we do in life, but how we do it that makes life worthwhile. Seeing someone die enforces this lesson like nothing else can.

Joy, laughter, and interesting, exciting activities are what make life good. Thinking back to all the happy times we had made the sadness of her loss easier to bear. It’s a vibrant reminder that life is in the little things. Those things we do each and every day.

Do you sing while you wash the dishes? Do you stargaze as you take out the trash? Do you share a joke or two each day at work? These are all opportunities to add fun and joy to your day.

Planning your fun is an important step in producing festive souvenirs of the past. Too often we think that fun is something that just happens. We think if we go to the amusement park, our joy will be unbounded. Then we arrive and find long lines or blistering heat and our expectations are dashed.

Fun doesn’t have to be all or nothing. A family gathering of pizza and board games on Friday night can be spontaneous and silly. A dinner out with friends can be an adventure when you experiment with different cultures and tastes. Fun comes in millions of shapes and forms, there’s something out there for everyone.

Happy memories and good times can be wonderful when they occur, but their true value is in remembered joy. When life throws us into turmoil, it can be those bright, shining recollections of more joyous moments that glimmer with a beacon of hope. Perhaps if those cheerful, fortunate times happened before, they can happen again.

The key is realizing that now is the time to build those indelible moments that will stand the test of time. Don’t let bills or financial worries keep you from your fun. A day at the park or beach can be just as playful as a stay at an amusement park. A cookie exchange where each person brings their own favorite can be a tasty and fun way to exchange recipes and have a good time.

There is no perfect way to have fun. Have an indoor picnic while you watch the snow fall outside. Have a movie theme night and play only Jack Nicholson or only comedy movies. Have a garden party and make delicious dishes from the vegetables. Whatever hobby or game you enjoy can make for a fantastic starting point to fun. And you can start this very day. Let go and enjoy – it’s what life is all about!

Savor the Moment

Sunset by Per Ola Wiberg (former ponanwi and Powi)

When is the last time you had a romantic candlelit dinner with wine and roses? Have you seen the first snowflakes of the season - for many people they have already appeared? While driving did you notice the sun shimmering on the orange and red leaves so that they seemed on fire? Have you heard the crickets serenading at night or birds singing in the morning? If not, you are depriving yourself of some of life’s greatest beauties.

Beautiful moments happen every day. Sometimes, in our rush to get to work, home, the store, wash the dishes or dust the house, we miss out on simple pleasures that could lighten our day and bring wonder and bliss to our lives. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can enjoy it tomorrow or the next day, not realizing that we’re cheating ourselves in the process.

Appreciating and being aware of small joys not only changes our mood, making us smile and laugh more, it changes our perspective as well. When we have 10 minutes of silence before beginning our day of work, we notice that our day starts off more relaxed and peaceful. Our interactions with others are calmer and more productive so we accomplish more.

Scheduling time for ourselves helps keep us balanced. When we make time for Saturday morning golf game, or a trip to the mall with girlfriends, the satisfaction we receive stays with us all week. Putting aside an hour a day to spend time with family, read a book, join a fitness club or take a cooking class adds fulfillment to each day. It’s a small goal that can make a huge difference in how you feel day to day.

Utilize the senses. Take a moment to inhale the fresh clean air outside. Listen to the sound of your child laughing, your cat purring or music you love. Feel the soft cuddly texture of the sweater you’re wearing. Luxuriate in the warmth of a hot, steamy shower. Taste the velvety smoothness of your favorite chocolate, the silky smooth chill of ice cream or succulent flavor of a juicy steak.

Lastly, the best reason to savor the moment is because time is so fleeting. Unexpected difficulties like illness, financial problems or auto and home repairs can hit without warning. Take the time today to relish your good health, happy relationship and positive cashflow. Don’t enjoy tomorrow what you could enjoy today.

Here are a few things to savor:

• Hearing your child saying you’re the best mommy in the universe.
• Seeing the sparkle of frost in the early morning twilight.
• Sitting alone for 10 minutes with only silence for company.
• Attending a music concert. Feeling the vibrations flow through you.
• The flavor and aroma at your favorite Italian restaurant.
• Admiring your reflection in the mirror when you look good.
• Enjoying a Sunday afternoon nap.
• A rainbow after the storm.
• Freshly laundered clothes warm from the dryer.
• Having a job and getting a steady paycheck.
• Low gas prices.
• Adorable costumes and trick-or-treaters on Halloween.

Do Your Thing!

As Light as Air by aussiegall

What’s your thing? Do you tell great jokes and make everyone laugh? Are you a gardener whose delicious fruits and vegetables look like works of art and taste like the finest dining? Have you become the #1 collector of vintage GI Joe figures or Strawberry Shortcake dolls?

We all have passions, loves and favorite subjects. Sometimes there are tons of other people who enjoy the same thing. Other times you may be the chief authority on the best fishing lures or the only collectors of heart-shaped keychains. The great thing is; this is what makes us all unique and interesting. It’s part of our personal style. It’s our thing.

If you’re one of the lucky ones, you get to work at your obsession every day. Maybe you love dogs and you work as a pet sitter, cuddling fluffy kittens and playing ball with energetic dogs every day. Or you could love flour, cakes and frosting and have your own bakery. Maybe you love helping others and you work as a nurse, doctor, counselor or therapist.

Meeting someone who loves their work gives us a jolt to make our own passions and joys part of our daily life. How many grumpy, zombie-like, half-asleep people do you know? Probably lots. How many alert, excited, and happy people do you know? I’ll bet you can count them on one hand. Become one of these people. Even if you can’t do the work you love, you can work to love what you do.

So put your bowling trophy on your desk at work. Enter your flowers in the fair and meet other budding enthusiasts. Be a mentor and teach a child how to golf or play basketball. Buy that Darth Vader lamp shade for your bedroom – it’s your room isn’t it?

Don’t be afraid to live a little. So often we give in to that pressure to fit in and “be normal.” What is normal? What’s normal for Americans is strange to the Chinese. The Germans don’t eat the same foods as the Italians. India dresses differently from Russia. Embrace the differences – your own and others. They make the world a more interesting place. Variety adds fun and an element of surprise to each day.

Wear white after Labor Day – you’ll match the ice and snow. Cook a five-course meal for two – who says you need a crowd? Read comic books instead of novels. Play hide and go seek with your husband. Have fun and live well. Do your thing and enjoy life!

Believing in Yourself Against the Odds.

Mountain climbing by farfuglinn

Like Indian Jones on a quest to find the Holy Grail, there are times when all of us must find the strength to believe in ourselves, even when the world tells us we are foolish. For most of us, those times occur when what we seek seems like a fairytale or some fantasy too good to be true.

Often it is hard for us to find the resolve to stand firm against the tales of woe told by the naysayers that surround us. They may even have hard evidence that proves that what we dream of having is hard to obtain, or possibly unreachable. Yet every year, scientists find cures for diseases that were thought previously fatal. Artists create masterpieces never seen before; full of new creativity and insight. And inventions are produced that make that revolutionize our lives, making chores easier and more enjoyable.

The trouble with having faith in yourself, is that there is no proof you will ever achieve your goal. Instead you must trust that your hard work, determination and the life experiences that have led you on this path. You must close your ears to criticism while opening your eyes to seeing new possibilities.

I can’t promise you that belief alone is enough to make your dreams come true. But I can tell you that without the conviction and perseverance to try, nothing at all will happen. Like the great philosophers, inventors, scientists and poets of the past, your insight and understanding of the world is unique. Think where the world would be had not the wise minds of the past been willing to stand up to the inevitable criticism and scorn that came their way.

Belief in yourself is not always easy, but it is always worth it. Even if you fail to reach your dreams, you will still raise yourself higher for trying. Your efforts will be rewarded with new knowledge and skills. And you will receive immense satisfaction in simply doing your best, whatever the outcome. Try it for yourself.

Inspiration – we all need it!

Monolith by Zest-pk

Inspiration is that creative spark, often a sudden moment of new ideas, insight and motivation that can come from the smallest spark of conversation. It’s that moment when the most mundane or unexpected bit of information ignites a fire of understanding and awareness.

Inspiration can be a joy of discovery. One minute you’re feeling discouraged, down-in-the-dumps and blue. The next you’ve suddenly woken up to the beauty of the trees around you, the sunlight shining brightly down and you feel energetic and hopeful.

Encouragement can come from anywhere - a smile from a child, a flash of color in a woman’s dress, a humorous joke that hits home. The beauty of enlightenment is that is can come from any where at any time. You can look for it, but even if you are not searching it can appear totally at random.

Motivation however, is usually a bit more fleeting. How many times have I been inspired by a wonderful story of a hard-working athlete, a disabled man or a family full of adopted children? In them I recognize how easy my own life is and how much more I could do with it if only I put in more effort.

Over the last year I have found inspiration in the many kindness organizations and happiness students found on the web. Everywhere are people spreading joy, fun, laughter and best of all hope. People who share their time, skills, knowledge and money for the simple pleasure of seeing a smile on the face of a stranger.

My personal wish is that by writing this, I may stimulate a new energy or a brainwave of new ideas in a reader, who will then bring encouragement, hope, and inspiration to someone who needs it. Just think of the delight of knowing that your advice, book, music or gift of listening opened someone’s mind to the plethora of abundance and wonder available in the world. To know you gave someone else hope is one of life’s greatest gifts.

Please feel free to share your own experiences of insight, understanding, and creativity, whether through your own discovery or through someone else. For fun, here are just a few of the things that have inspired me recently; watching a robin listening to the earth to find a meal, seeing the sunlight shine on my cocker-spaniel’s golden fur, a great joke that even made me laugh at death and enjoying my favorite blogs, including Kim and Jason, Urban Monk, Jarkko Laine and many, many more. What has inspired you today?

Be Inspired Every Day

Double Bows by Nicholas_T

Each new day is a blank canvas waiting for you to fill it. There are so many opportunities for joy, laughter and fun. Inspiration can come from anything. For me it is often something totally spontaneous, like a song on the radio, a funny commercial, or hearing a child laughing. Anything that causes you to play, smile, and enjoy life.

I am often awed by the beauty of the world around me; a rainbow after a storm, the bright white glittering of stars in the darkness, even the reflection of the sky in a puddle of water. I am amazed by the compassion and love of strangers who rescue a child from a burning building, donate a kidney to their sick friend, and adopt handicapped children into their families.

Faith and the power of the human spirit shines through in the words and deeds of some of my favorite mentors like the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, the teachings of Buddha, Jesus Christ and Confucius. I am enthralled by the dedication and remarkable advancements made daily in the fields of science and medicine.

I’m captivated by the everyday items many take for granted; the small size and versatility of the cell phone, the light weight and durability of the laptop, and incredible resolution and detail of the digital camera and LCD TV. The ingenuity of corporations to produce ever more useful and convenient electronics for the everyday person is astounding.

No matter where you look you can find an endless supply of splendor, wonder and delight. Whether you are watching the undersea world of whales on TV, reading the newest scientific developments in the paper, or simply taking a walk through your neighborhood, beauty and marvels of all sorts await you around every corner.

Here are a few every day sights and sounds that endlessly spark my imagination and stimulate my senses:

• Fluffy white clouds against a brilliant blue sky.
• The green rolling hills where deer and cattle graze.
• The delicious scent of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven.
• Drumming raindrops lulling me to sleep at night.
• Catching a smile on the face of a child.
• A butterfly fluttering along on the wind.
• The heavenly sounds of the classical greats; Beethoven, Mozart, Bach and others.
• The songs of birds high in the trees.
• The playful antics of my two dogs.

I also love to see new art, even if it’s just the drawings of my 12 year old niece or the doodles of a bored coworker. I love special effects in TV and movies and the vivid writing of the many fiction writers out there – both adult and children’s authors. There is so much out there to see and experience. Don’t let a chance to stop and smell the flowers pass you by.

Let out your inner peacock.

El Macho Uploaded on March 12, 2007 by ellhoisa

When I look around at nature, I see so many beautiful sights. The silver drops of rain glistening like diamonds in the sun, the emerald green grass, and the elegant white swan. I’m captivated by the songbirds who sing such beautiful songs, enchanted by the bumbling flight of the butterfly amazed at the magnificent colors of the Peacock.

Nature abounds with beauty, grace and wonder. I think all of us have the same qualities within all of us. We only need to look inside and find what makes us light up with excitement. Can we cook? Do we sing? Are we skilled with a saw and hammer? You don’t even need to quit your day job (though many of us would like to,) in order to share your happiness with others.

Print and frame family photos for a family member who doesn’t have the skill. Use your computer to make personalized greeting cards. Install a light and paint the living room for your mother. Find the skills and abilities you enjoy and use them to make memories with families or friends.

Or volunteer and share your talents with those who need it. Be a mentor for a child, read to the elderly or cook at a soup kitchen. Teach the local shelter dogs some manners, or offer to spice up the web site of your favorite charity. We all have gifts that make us smile and strut, that leave us full of happiness and satisfaction. Find that gift or ability that makes your heart happy and bring a smile to your face.

Though we sometimes forget, we are as much a part of nature as the glamorous orange and black tiger. Some of us shine brightly like a brilliant yellow rose; others are sturdy and strong as a majestic mountain. All the variety and splendor of nature resides in each and every human being.

Look inside and find the deepest and best expression of yourself and share it with everyone around you. Not only will you find joy and fulfillment in connecting to your inner self, your happiness will flow and touch others, expanding the bliss to even more people. What could be better? And to think this entire subject started with a glance at a beautiful little peacock.