Day 30 Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (and everyone else too)

People seem to fall into two camps. The lazy ones, and the ones that are always working.

Somewhere along the way some of us learned that the only way to get ahead was to work, work, work. When that didn't get us far enough, fast enough, someone threw in higher education.  You know, the post high school, post college higher education stuff. 

Sometimes, that is what we need - to go to school, take a continuing ed course, up our game.  

Unfortunately, far too many of us look at work as some sort of game. If only I had the right pieces I could win at this thing called life.

  When we buy into that sort of thinking we are really cutting ourselves out and off from the things in life that really matter, like just being with your kids (there was a really cool commercial at the movies showing dads playing Barbies - those dads are having fun!) When we buy into that sort of thinking we cheat ourselves from having a little to fun, and wend our way toward becoming a workaholic.


Working is necessary, and if we find ourselves in positions we don't enjoy, it is incumbent upon ourselves to change that work situation. We can do this in a number of ways: we can change jobs, careers, locations.

But sometimes, it's not the people, or the career path or the company we work for. 

Sometimes it is us. 

It is us because we have given up living to make a living. We've put away the small things that bring us joy in order to make more money. And money doesn't buy happiness (and yes, I know the witty comeback - it gives us the vehicle to chase it).

And when we're not making money? We're busy with other non-fun activities that must get done because there is no other time to do them. You know, yard work, housework, laundry, getting the oil changed in the car, a myriad of "things" that may take our focus off of work, but still make us work and defeat the "to-lists" that are created for the weekend.

In short, we've forgotten how to take some time to just relax. The Bible talks about having a day of rest, but somehow we've forgotten that simple piece of wisdom. Rest, what a concept. Not forcing yourself to do anything you don't want to for a predetermined amount of time.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could just sit out in the sun, reading a book with a glass of iced tea, without a care in the world? You know, the way vacations are supposed to be? Or how about watching a movie where you weren't thinking about Monday's to-do list, or what you were going to make for dinner?

How about just a little goofing off and having some fun? When was the last time you really laughed? When was the last time you did something you enjoy - just for you, not because you had to get something done?

This kind of thing is really difficult to achieve in families. There is always so much to do. But, it is imperative for you and your partner, together or separately to have some fun, even if it is just for a few hours. Everyone needs the opportunity to unwind without having to run someplace.

This sort of relaxing is different from the meditative stuff you might do to let go of stress (also an important practice).  This sort of relaxation is fun, go where the wind takes you and you aren't tethered to a time line.  And, to be honest, this is not nap time, although nap time feels pretty darn good. 

In The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron refers to this "me" time as the Artist Date. Time alone that you get to spend with just yourself. It might be a walk in the park, without responsibilities, or a movie you want to see and your significant other doesn't.  It is slightly selfish, but in a good way. And to make it less so, you can offer the same gift to your partner.

Work does need to get done - where you are employed, at home, with the car. This work though, shouldn't overtake our lives to the point we don't have regular down time where we can relax. 

I took some today. My son did likewise. Now, how about next weekend you give it a try?