Feeling like life’s gotten a little too serious? Maybe it’s time to do a “fun audit” and reconnect with what truly makes you happy. Skip Swies, Marriage Therapist of Life Coach Austin, believes that injecting fun into your daily life is essential, not just a nice-to-have. “Fun isn’t just a luxury; it’s a vital part of living a balanced, fulfilling life. When we lose touch with what makes us happy, everything else can start to feel heavy,” he says.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
If you’re unsure where to start, try setting a small goal that pushes you just a little out of your comfort zone. “You don’t need to chase extreme thrills to find satisfaction,” says Swies. “Sometimes, it’s about engaging in a new activity that challenges you just enough to capture your full attention.”
Mark Congdon, author of The Ideal Life, suggests focusing more on the experience than the outcome. “That’s much easier to control, and it’s going to result in the outcomes that you want,” he explains. By enjoying the process of trying something new, you might stumble upon a new source of fun.
Do a Fun Audit
Another great way to reignite joy is by doing what Catherine Price, author of The Power of Fun, calls a “fun audit.” This book suggests starting by thinking about times when you felt playful, silly, or really engaged. These memories are golden—they hold the key to understanding what lights you up.
Write down the moments that stand out, even if they seem small or silly. Price gives an example of someone who remembered getting soaked in the rain with their grandfather as a child. “It’s often these simple, everyday experiences that carry the most profound sense of fun.
Think about the last time you laughed really hard or smiled until your face hurt. Where were you? Who was with you? What were you doing? Noticing patterns in these memories—like certain activities, people, or places—can help you figure out what consistently makes you happy.
Find Your Fun Magnets and Fun Factors
As you start to see these patterns, you’ll discover what Price calls your “fun magnets”—the activities, people, and places that naturally draw you in. Understanding your fun magnets is crucial. Once you know what consistently brings you joy, you can prioritize those things in your life.
We all also have “fun factors,” which are the specific things that make something fun for us. Maybe you love the energy of dancing, the challenge of word games, or the calm of being in nature. Recognizing these fun factors helps you choose activities that truly make you happy.
Embrace a Fun Mindset
Finally, don’t ignore the importance of having a fun mindset. “A fun mindset isn’t about constantly seeking entertainment—it’s about being open to the moments of joy and connection that can happen anywhere,” Swies says. Whether you’re chatting with an Uber driver or waiting at the doctor’s office, there’s potential for fun in almost any situation.
A fun mindset helps you create or appreciate humor, absurdity, playfulness, connection, and flow. By being open to these moments, you can bring more joy into your everyday life, making fun a regular part of your routine.
Ultimately, understanding what brings you joy and staying open to it can lead to a more fulfilling life. “We don’t have to wait for perfect conditions to have fun,” Swies reminds us. “Fun can coexist with all the other responsibilities and challenges we face. It’s about dropping our guard and letting it in.”
By doing a fun audit and paying attention to your fun magnets, factors, and mindset, you can bring more happiness into your life—without needing a special occasion to do so.
