Excitement, eagerness, laughter, and a lightness-what do these feelings mean? Are these all part of having fun? I think so. I feel excited and youthful like a child does when playing in the sprinkler’s spray, on the first hot day of the season, as the ice cold water hits their hot body and they experience shock and joy all at the same time. That is what I have felt lately when I have gone on simple outings. Outings that are nothing this city girl is used to doing, these are no walk through the shopping mall! More like meeting horses and feeling their majestic size and energy. Thinking I should be fearing these beauties but strangely I’m feeling calm and at ease with them. Watching a Cowboy Challenge (an obstacle course & race), something completely foreign to me, smiling from ear to ear. Visiting a ranch and being handed a chicken to hold, like this is an everyday thing. I stood there frozen in place wondering what am I supposed to do with this little lady? It made me giddy and I proudly announced to all I had just held a chicken. (If only my kids could have seen me!!) I realize these are regular things for some people but all this is new and exciting for me. New things and experiences can bring joy. Part of the fun is the exposure to such a different world.

Life seems simpler out west, less fluff and more authenticity. No preparing for hours, before friends come over, making sure all is perfect. Nope, just go with the flow, be spontaneous, and have fun. Fun, there is that word again. Having experienced several impromptu outings lately I realize I have been missing out on fun. Fun that comes from being detached from social media and my phone and just experiencing being in the moment. I love this!

So why do we stop having fun? Where is it written that as an adult we have to be mature which equates to a no fun zone? I was born a responsible being and in my mind responsible meant being serious and getting things done perfectly. I recognize this idea is my own yet I feel that many people struggle with this belief. Thinking back to when I was a child, when I did see an adult having fun, I thought it out of place or that they should set a better example. When or why did I become so judgy? It is possible to be a responsible adult and still find time for fun. A mix of both is ideal to lead a balanced life. Now that I think about it, I would have been an even better mother if I would have let loose and just had more fun. Don’t misunderstand me, I had some fun and I definitely tried to make it fun for my boys. I simply remember being more serious and I feel I could have had more fun with them. I can’t go backwards and change anything. But moving forward I can be open to new experiences, allowing space for fun, laughing out loud more often, and enjoying life. Having experienced unbridled fun again has inspired me to bring fun into my work with clients, with colleagues, and in my relationships. How about you? Let me know in the comments below how you are going to have more fun this summer.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw