Summer Fun Week 8 - Ask For The "Impossible"

Time to read: 18 seconds

The cutest 1930s jam jars

It's Week 8 and Tip #4! Ask for the impossible.

Think of something you think is too much to ask, and ask for it. Ask with no attachment to the outcome. The courage to ask is the practice. The fun is in the challenge and the possibilities. Here are some examples to tickle your thinking:

• Submit a proposal for a job that feels out of reach
• Apply for the job
• Ask for the raise
• On my Buy Nothing page, someone took a chance to ask for a dollhouse, and we just happened to have a huge one taking up space in our attic.
• I teach twice a year at a spa in Mexico. How did I get this gig? I asked.

What is one thing you've been wanting to do and have felt like it's impossible? This week, ask for it without attachment to the outcome. Then hit reply on this email and tell me all about it!

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Summer Fun Week 7 - Give!

Time to read: 15 seconds

It's Week 7 and time for Tip #3

Today's tip for more fun is simple, quick, and actionable.

Give things away.

Where I live, people put things at the end of the driveway for other people to take. There are neighborhood Buy Nothing groups and gifting sites. I'm involved in the free flow of free stuff, and it's fun.

By giving things away, you....

• Build community
• Make friends
• Create mental space for yourself by clearing stuff from your house
• Breathe new life into items that are languishing in your home
• Keep usable items out of the waste stream

You can also give of your time, talent, and energy. When you give, you receive tenfold in joy and fun.

So Fun!

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Summer Fun Week 6 - Freedom!

Time to read: 36 seconds

It's Week 6 and time for Tip #2.

In honor of the 4th of July holiday in the US, today's tip is about freedom.

I'm a big fan of freedom…to live according to your values and preferences, enjoy the things you enjoy, and choose what makes sense for you and your life. Freedom leads to happiness.

Freedom comes with ownership and self-management, meaning you get to make choices, and you own those choices. You own the consequences and outcomes of your choices. You own your successes and joys and the responsibility to clean up your messes.

Freedom also means tempering yourself and behaving responsibly toward others. The fact that we live in a world filled with other people who also want their freedom can be super annoying.

Today's tip for fun and joy: Consider what it means for you to be free, and to let others be free, too.

For those of you in the US, I hope your 4th of July is filled with delicious grilled food, family, friends, and fireworks.

If you know people who want to have more fun, they can join us here.

 

Summer Fun Week 5 - Practical Tips For More Fun

Time to read: 36 seconds

The charm bracelet I made to commemorate our recent trip to Japan!

Welcome to Week 5!

I want to give you a few practical tips and strategies for increasing fun in your life.

Tip #1: Look for tiny bits of joy and fun.

This is a practice to train your brain to see and experience the fun and joy. Notice the beautiful bird sounds on your walk. Linger for a second longer on a flower. Notice when people are smiling or laugh two seconds longer. Ooo and ahh over a cool car or a cute baby or a beautiful tomato.

Nothing is too small, and nothing is off limits. You love the things you love, and your interests are different from other people.

For example, I'm into charm bracelets. Like really into them. And many people think they are too jangly and annoying. We get to be different.

Spend your weekend noticing things that bring you joy and feel fun.

Happy practicing!

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Summer Fun Week 4 - Be an inspiration!

Time to read: 15 seconds

I made this bracelet for a new friend in Japan.

Welcome to Week 4!

It's another short one because I want you to have lots of time for fun!

When you have more fun, people will see you having more fun, and they will be inspired to have more fun, too. (There are a few people who will be crabby about it, and that's a them problem. Tell them to call me.)

Imagine the exponential impact when you have fun expands to the people in your life and then the people in their lives and on and on and on.

Then imagine what becomes possible for your community, city, state, nation, the planet when people approach each other and the activities of daily living as if it's fun.

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Summer Fun Week 3 - Fun Is Your purpose!

Time to read: 15 seconds

Our new puppy! The definition of fun!

Welcome to Week 3. So fun!

Today is short.

Fun is one of your life's purposes. You were not put on this earth only to strive, struggle, prove, earn, and work. (Although work and achievement can be fun, like really fun.)

You were put on this earth to enjoy your life. To appreciate beauty. To experience pleasure and joy. To feel great.

Ponder that idea. Fun isn't a luxury. It's actually part of your purpose.

I'm curious what that idea opens up for you? Please email me and tell me your thoughts.

I love to hear from you!

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Summer Fun Week 2 -Use This Simple Trick

Time to read: 35 seconds

Gorgeous 1960s vintage! So fun!

It's week 2 of fun, pleasure, and ease. Ahhh…summer!

When there is conflict or you want something and feel like you are not getting it, often the issue is your focus, not the thing.

Here's a concept: Focus on the function, not the form.

In last week's vacation example, the form was beach or mountains. When the form is the focus, there's irreconcilable conflict. Instead, look for the function…spending time together or physical activity or going off the grid for two weeks to recharge. When you shift your focus to the function, infinite possibilities open for the form.

I love examples, so let's play with a work-related one. You want a promotion, and it hasn't happened. The promotion is the form and keeps your lens on one narrow option. When you shift your focus to the function of what you want in the promotion…like more responsibility, supervising and mentoring employees, or a more strategic role, you have lots of ways to create those experiences both at work and outside work.

To have more fun, look to satisfy the function you want, rather than focus narrowly on the form. More possibilities = more fun.

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