photo courtesy of Richard Lock
a while back, a friend of mine gave me this book that focused on making lists around themes and seasons. I love making lists, they make me feel accomplished…even when I’ve done none of the items on the list! one list theme in particular has stuck with me. it asked me to list all the things that truly make me happy, from the most basic things to the largest, time intensive ones. my list included things like hugs, exploring new places, and walking. making the list got me thinking about how little time I actually spend enjoying life, which honestly, is a sad thing.
when I consider how to weave in all these fun things into my crazy life, I get overwhelmed. BUT, there are ways to consciously increase the fun in your life. first, I make sure this list is out in the open where I’m forced to look at it regularly. this is simple but it makes a massive difference in how I choose to spend my time because I’m reminded how much I love doing the things on that list and I’m inspired to do them more.
I utilize routine to get life shit done and then once I’ve got an efficient routine down, I nearly always have time to make room for some fun. this doesn’t always work (insert baby drama or last minute hiccups) but having routines helps me nail down what I need to complete so I can enjoy life.
another way that I find time to weave my “fun” stuff into my regular life is to incorporate my friends and family into it. I love to take walks and sophie and le bebé are great companions in exploring new neighborhoods around the city. the bonus is that pushing a stroller or carrying a kid give me an extra boost of exercise! I also love to meet up with girlfriends and love to try new places out, so when we schedule dinners, we try to do them at places we’ve been dying to try out.
lastly, get creative. we all have unused time if we look hard. I take a different route home from the train station so that I can see new streets. underground trains with zero wifi or coverage give me time to dive into a book that I’ve been dying to read. and once you do find time to do the things that are fun, relish it!
