Focused on Fun

A few weeks ago, I was in LA and went for a walk along the beach from Santa Monica to Venice.  As I was walking, I looked up and noticed a building that had the word “fun” painted in enormous letters on one of its sides.  I took a picture of it and posted it on Instagram and said I thought it was a sign that I should focus on fun for the rest of the year.  I asked people if they wanted to join me, and a bunch of people (all of whom happened to be mothers) said YES!  

I was curious about that.  Was it just a coincidence that the people who responded were all mothers?  Or is there something about this time of year as a mother that really causes one to lose touch with your own joy as you look toward bringing joy to others?  I haven’t decided for sure, but I think there is a correlation here.  

So I decided to start a Fun Challenge on Instagram where I’d post one way to have more fun that day (in five minutes or less).  The Fun Challenge started this week, and I’m really enjoying it.  It’s been enlivening to focus on fun and to think about how to feel more of it and share more of it with others.  

As a parent, I think it’s also pretty cool to think about the effect it might have on children to have a mother focused on fun.  Can you imagine if your own mother had seen having fun as one of her chief aims?  It seems like it could be a game-changer, and potentially give children room to imagine more fun in their lives (and their future lives, as well).  

So far, in the name of fun, I’ve danced in my kitchen, left post-it notes for my kids telling them something I think is fabulous about them, jumped in rain puddles, and purchased my favorite childhood treat (Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups) and savored every bite of it.  And a lot of people have joined me.  

I have been so thrilled to hear the response.  I’ve received so many messages from people saying they’re loving the Fun Challenge (and we still have a few more weeks left in the month, which means 23 more days to focus on fun).

Would you join us?  I’d love to have some fun with you for the rest of the month!  I think you might be surprised to see how much joy five minutes of fun can bring to your days.  Please find me on Instagram (@alexsinger) and join in!  Invite your friends too! It’s so much fun to do this together. Together, let’s #finish2019with fun!