Practical Ways To Get More Fun Out Of Life

Kids and animals are onto something. You don’t have to remind either one of them to play.  

See, something inevitably happens as we broach maturity, it becomes increasingly easy to exchange our pursuit of all things “fun” & “whimsical” for the serious adult-ing attributes we deem necessary to navigate our big important lives.  Words like “play” and “delight” can seem out of place, even irresponsible in the face of ambition and responsibility and especially in trials.

But here’s the kicker:  What if God designed “fun” to be the perfect antidote to counterbalance the pressures He knew we’d walk through in this life?

See guys, I had an epiphany. And I had this epiphany on the concrete bleachers of Sea World: We were created for fun.  While taking in a slew of animal shows, being splashed with water and staring in awe at the twirling dolphins, God reminded me of a side of Him I all too often forget. He reminded me how much He prioritizes play.

[bctt tweet=”God reminded me of a side of Him I all too often forget. He reminded me how much He prioritizes play. #nosmalllife” username=”nosmalllife”]

That fall day, those quirky mesmerizing animals brought Romans 12:1 alive to me in such a fresh way.  They fully offered up their cute selves, their everyday life and did it with all their heart. They played. They enjoyed life and it echoed God’s handiwork.

And the moment you start to think God doesn’t delight in our fun, please try explaining Sea Lions 🙂

We get to serve a God who is wildly creative and has an immeasurable imagination. All His handiwork is a declaration of His deep love of uniqueness. It’s a constant reminder of how much beauty He sees in the diversity of His creation.

He could’ve made us all carbon copies of one another.  He could’ve made all the trees brown and every food taste like asparagus. But He didn’t.

He delights in our uniqueness. He delights in the ways He’s wired all of us: Individually and for a purpose. And He delights when we trust Him to be God and us to be His adoring creation.

 Our wildly creative God whose imagination far outshines anything we can comprehend created fun. And I don’t want to speak for Him, but I’m pr-e-tty sure His heart leaps within His Godly chest when He sees His creation excelling at being 100% themselves and fully delighting in it.

I don’t know about you, but I need reminders that it’s important for me to connect to God in this way; utilizing the playful ways He’s wired me as another way to worship and bring Him glory.  We can get so serious can’t we? Granted, there’s a lot of heartache in this life. But Jesus takes on the heavier side of the burden, so we can have the lighter (see Matt 11:28-30). Thankfully, He is God and we are not. And when we rest in that fact, we can place our heavy loads before Him and give ourselves permission to trust and lighten up just a little bit.  Your “fun” doesn’t have to feel like a waste when viewed through the lens of Heaven. Fun can be another way to worship.

How? No worries, you know we’re all about the practical. Here are a few quick hitters.  6 practical ways to get a little fun back in your life.

1. By yourself

What makes you feel fully alive?  You may not know. When Chris and I walked through infertility, I all but forgot.  Here’s my advice to you: Try a few things you used to love before life got so serious and see what sticks.  Could you go for a run or a walk and crank up the worship music in your earbuds? Move your body as an act of worship and gratefulness? (Here’s a playlist to get you started!)

Are you an artist? An athlete? An amazing cook? God likes the way He’s wired you. I for one can get choked up when I walk into a space that is beautifully designed and decorated. I’ll be the first to admit, it’s a little quirky.  But hey, I embrace it. I see all the creative expressions we have as humans echoing the glory of our creative God. Try something new. Even something simple like trying a new style can be a gateway to re-introduce play into your “everyday life.”

2. In your Style

Let’s go there.  Your. Style. What you put on your body. The image you’re projecting to the world.  Here’s what I know from walking through hard things: Whatever we’re going through on the inside manifests itself on the outside. Pain or just plain busyness can suck you into the wormhole entitled, “oversized gray sweatshirt.”  It’s very scientific. Sometimes all you need is a little style step in the right direction to move forward with confidence. Clothes should be fun. They should make you feel better, not worse. Get out of your own way. Try a style you wouldn’t normally try. Within the confines of appropriateness, don’t shy away from something only because it’s different.  That hat you keep eyeing in your closet? It’s meant to be worn. 😉 Check out some of our style posts to help you get started.

3. In Your Home

I love a room with a sense of humor.  A little quirk, a little something that sparks creativity, makes you smile and declares this is YOUR space.  Why not paint a door teal? Throw a few random polka dots on your walls? Paint stripes in your entryway or just start spray painting things. Pumpkins, tables, soda bottles. All of it… Let your space be a reflection of what delights your heart & calls you back to the best parts of you. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

4. With your Spouse

I’m just going to go out on a “crazy limb” here and say you need a date night.  OR a date “day.” We’re not picky. We take what we can get. See, there’s a hidden danger when building a life with someone.  If you’re not intentional, the person with whom you used to have the MOST fun, can diminish into merely your business partner.  We get that; it can happen to all of us. Which is why we’re so passionate about having a date night AND a business meeting. Just not at the same time (Click here to learn how to do that). Don’t get overwhelmed. This is fun remember? Here are a few ideas to get you started and we’ve even made a playlist for you.  Check them out here & here.

5. With Strangers

Make it a goal to add value to someone’s life every single day.   I guarantee if you make “adding value to someone’s life,” a prayer, God will open your eyes to simple opportunities you may have overlooked.  He’s creative. And you’ve never met a person that isn’t deeply valued by Him. You’re an extension of His heart and His hands on this planet. Your life isn’t small and neither are the lives of people who happen upon your path. Collaborate with Him, secret mission style, 🙂  to point people to His love.

6. With your Creator

I love finding systems that work. I love having formulas. They make sense to my brain. However, with God, there is no magic formula.  Think of your time with God like a date. You wouldn’t want to go on the exact same date-same restaurant, same time, same topic of conversation every week -and expect to stay engaged would you?

You’re in a relationship with the Lord, so keep it fresh. We’ve got several ways here. He’s a big, creative God, and as long as your foundation is biblical and prayerful, don’t allow yourself to get too regimented in the “how” of connecting with Him.  Chris has a great post on connecting with God. Check it out here.

What areas of your life are you looking to get a little more fun?

Until next time,

Meg

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