Hello and welcome and today I'm starting with a laugh because today's word is fun.
When was the last time you laughed so hard your stomach hurt?
Do you allow yourself to play,
Explore and enjoy life without guilt?
Many adults forget the importance of fun.
We get caught up in responsibilities,
Productivity and obligations,
Believing that fun is a luxury rather than a necessity.
Fun is there for children.
We get lost in our mind and our mind very quickly fills up every opportunity of actually having some fun.
But fun isn't just about pleasure,
It's a vital ingredient for creativity,
Stress relief and overall happiness which leads of course also to well-being.
Perhaps ask yourself today,
Am I making time for fun in my life?
If not,
What's stopping me?
Who's stopping me?
Albert Einstein,
Known for his groundbreaking theories,
He also valued fun and he once said,
Play is the highest form of research.
He played the violin,
Told jokes and understood that curiosity and joy fuel innovation.
Richard Feynman,
One of the greatest physicists of all time,
He was known for his playful approach to learning.
He spent time cracking safes,
Playing bongo drums and making science fun for everyone.
His philosophy,
I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.
And then we have Walt Disney,
My goodness.
He built an empire based on fun and imagination.
Despite financial struggles and repeated failures,
He never lost sight of his mission to bring joy to people of all ages.
His persistence in making fun a serious business changed entertainment forever.
A study from Stanford University actually found that people who engage in fun activities regularly are more creative,
Productive and resilient to stress.
And laughter releases endorphins,
The brain's natural feel-good chemicals which reduce stress and improve mood.
Really important one to remember there if you're not feeling well or if you're struggling with well-being or something more serious,
To really bring laughter into your life in any way that you can.
And did you know that the average child laughs 300 times a day while the average adult laughs only 17 times and I would even challenge that.
There have certainly been times in my life where I don't even think I laughed once in a day.
So three action steps for today.
Number one,
Schedule fun like an appointment.
If you don't make time for fun,
Life will fill up with obligations.
Set aside time for things that bring you joy.
And if you have children in the house,
This will perhaps be relatively easy to do.
But if you don't have children in the house,
No excuses.
Get your friends together or just go out by yourself and create fun.
And it could even be watching a movie that makes you laugh,
Whatever it takes.
Number two,
Do something playful today.
Please dance in your kitchen,
Watch a comedy,
Play a game,
Whatever makes you smile.
Look at old photographs,
Whatever it might be.
Do something that puts a smile on that face and ideally even a laugh in your belly.
And number three,
Surround yourself with fun people.
It's very hard to have fun if people around you are insisting on being serious,
Though laughter and joy are contagious.
Spend time with people who bring out your playful side.
And today we end on a wonderful quote by George Bernard Shaw.
We don't stop playing because we grow old.
We grow old because we stop playing.
