Recently, one of my students at the Goddess Center informed me that she was not going to be able to make this series of cheerleading classes. She was trying to be "responsible” and just had too many things on her plate. Granted, shaking your pom-poms and refining your “liberty” arms is not usually a high priority for a 30-year-old successful businesswoman. But I knew how much she loved class and wearing the short cheer skirts. She often said it was the most fun thing she did each week.
This got me thinking of how little women value having fun. It’s even lower on our list than pampering ourselves. We all know how difficult it is for us as women to take care of ourselves - people pleasing everyone except ourselves. We don’t even seem to think of ourselves as people. We have been conditioned to think this way and the fact that we receive some sort of validation that we are “good” and that we are loved because we take care of others makes it an annoyingly difficult pattern to break.
Having fun, without agenda (furthering your career, burning calories, being more organized, having a cleaner house) is one of the great reasons to live. It is living.
Now, I am not advising you to become totally irresponsible and play hookey everyday. But there must be things you just enjoy doing (and if you can’t think of any, I suggest that you forget laundry this week and start discovering what brings you joy). These fun things put everything in perspective, make us excited in anticipation before they happen and giggle long after they are over.
Personally, having fun tops my priority list. It is also how I measure things: I believe the best bellydancer in class in the one who can laugh at herself and the best surfer is the one splashing around and having a great time. I try to have as much fun as I can everyday, especially when life becomes truly challenging. Feel free to email me and share your ideas and experiences of having fun with me. I would love to hear about what fun things you like to do!
So, enroll in that class you always say you wanted to take, go to that softball game, allow yourself to be the last person to leave a party and do something that makes you laugh!
10 Calorie-Free and $$-Free ways to Indulge
1) Take a Bath (using your new bath rituals)
2) Wear your special occasion underwear on Monday beneath your work clothes.
3) Have your make-up done at a department store
4) Pick-up brochures about exotic places at a Travel Agency (with no travel plans)
5) Write a delicious fantasy in your diary, only for your eyes.
6) Take a test-drive in your dream car
7) Nap under a big quilt
8) Dress up and try on expensive jewelry at Tiffany’s
9) Watch the Sunset
10) Make a list of what you would do with $$ if you won the lottery
10 Extravagant Indulgences
1) Make yourself a hot-fudge sundae with all the trimmings to eat in bed.
2) Invest in sumptuous 400-thread-count sheets
3) Throw a party for no occasion
4) Buy a small bouquet of flowers for your nightstand
5) Travel
6) Take a class, just for fun: Aromatherapy, Scuba-diving, painting
7) Buy yourself silk pajamas
8) Donate to charity anonymously
9) Buy yourself Diamonds
10) Order Room Service
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