As a part of my happiness project, July is a month to "Be Serious About Play". In Gretchen Rubin's book, The Happiness Project, she writes, "In an irony that didn't escape me, I prepared to work doggedly at fun and be serious about joking around". And so this month, as I prepared to do the same, I was forced to really look at my life and explore what I deem to be fun.
Monthly Resolutions:
Find More Fun. Two years ago during a workshop I unknowingly began a dramatic change in my life. We were asked to write a list of ten things that, if social judgements and money were not an issue, we would do today for fun. I had over 50. Photography, painting, organising... So why wasn't I doing any of these things? Well... money is an issue for most people with small kids, and I was no exception. But nonetheless, a seed was planted. Even though I wasn't able to take action on a lot of things on the list, it was the realization that most of the items on my "fun" list could be combined in interior design. And so the dream of pursuing a career in that field seemed less silly. I always used to say, "I'll do that in my next life". A good friend one day said, "Why not this life?" I still can't believe I'm actually going back to school to do just that in two months.
Take Time to be Silly. Particularly... allow my children to be silly and join in their silliness. As I was writing my last sentence, I looked at my kids building a fort on our deck. I grabbed two big blankets and helped them drape the blankets over some chairs to make a sun shelter. They were thrilled and it took me one minute. It sounds like a pretty basic thing to play with your kids, but mine are amazing at entertaining themselves so I don't usually think to join in. I've always felt it's important for kids to use their imagination and to have independence, but they love it when I make a point to play.
Start A Collection. Gretchen writes, "A collection provides a mission, a reason to visit new places, the excitement of the chase, a field of expertise (no matter how trivial), and, often, a bond with other people. It sounded like so much fun". Growing up, my mom was a pack rat extraordinaire. As an adult, I feared having too much stuff around, so the idea of a collection was frightening. I have realized I will never be the person who collects ladybugs, or chickens in the kitchen, etc. But it is possible to collect without collecting clutter. The last time I collected anything, I was 10 and I collected pictures of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, lol! Time to find a new interest, seriously. Last month, for my birthday, my sister-in-law and fellow design enthusiast, bought me a beautiful coffee table book on interior design and said it could be the beginning of a collection. Done! Now I just need a proper coffee table to display them on!
Go off the Path. Try a new restaurant, a new wine. Read a book that wouldn't normally be one I would choose. Whatever it may be, this month I will "Do different". And who knows? Maybe I will find a new source of fun in an unexpected place.
