It was a busy day yesterday with my all day class and rushing off to play my golf league in the evening. It was a hot night and I don’t mean my golf game, which was much less than inspirational. Playing golf for fun is a wonderful way to spend a weekday evening.
Speaking of fun and enjoying life, I was thinking about ways to lighten up, to not take life too seriously. As I have been saying since Summer began, this is the time of year to be focused on play and being playful. The following are 10 ways to lighten up your life because it is just healthier and a happier way to live:
1. Take yourself out on a date and go do what you love to do or have always wanted to do. If you have a fun friend you can bring he or her along. The goals is to do what feels good and fully enjoy it.
2. Hang out and just explore your favorite bookstore, craft shop, library, mall, museum or other fun places. You are no longer a child so there is no one stopping you from doing what you love to do.
3. Move away from or ignore people who are negative and cause a lot of drama. Life it too short to spend it struggling with the behavior of difficult people. Even those you love will mellow if you help guide them with your enthusiasm towards enjoying life.
4. Hop on your bike and go for a fun ride at an easy pace through an area you have wanted to explore. No exercise is allowed, just cruising and touring for the pleasure of it. You can do the same thing in a car going for a drive.
5. Take out your favorite art supplies and start a project you have had on your mind for a while. Creative expression is a great way to set you free.
6. Pay attention to your thoughts and inner dialogue to make sure you understand they are just thoughts and are not real. Thoughts are just words in your head you give meaning to and nothing more than that. Have your mind set on being joyous and compassionate.
7. Try to move away from taking your work too seriously. Work is something you do for income so stop worry about it. Some work is very purposeful but that doesn’t mean you should get serious about it.
8. Each day set as a goal to laugh more and to develop a healthy sense of humor. Making people laugh through funny stories and with great wit is so rewarding and loosens people up to better appreciate the day.
9. Turn up the music and sing along. The voice can be uplifting if it is used for song and to inspire others. Singing, chanting, reading stories out loud, presenting a passionate topic can be very uplifting both internally and if others are involved.
10. Say yes to fun things and stop trying to be good all the time. Too often you don’t even know why you cut off your aliveness and tone yourself down. Seek to feel blissful and alive instead of living up to some expectations.
Looks like I have been in a list-making mode lately. I do so enjoy letting my mind/heart/higher self guide me in my writing. I hope you find these ideas useful and stimulating.