Not Enough Fun Stuff - by Robin

I was chatting with a friend the other day and sharing with her my general feeling of overwhelm at times with life responsibility, stuff to do, etc. My to do list feels never-ending, bascially because it is.

She said to me...you need to have more fun. Think about that for 2009.

And, it did get me thinking...and thinking...and thinking.

She's right.

I do have workaholic tendencies. And, since I work now from home, the day kinda never ends.

Where did this work ethic come from?

Does it have to do, perhaps, with my being a product of parents raised during the Depression?

I wonder.

Though, my mother worked only part time, for a period of time, while I was growing up.

My dad, a CPA, worked, but didn't burn the midnight oil in the office.

So, where then?

I may never know for sure.

But, what I do know is that I should heed my friend's advice.

And, my dad has always said to me, "You make money by working smarter, not harder." And, while I do take this to heart, I don't totally know how to put it into practice in my own life.

And, how do I have more fun?

Fun in what form? Hmmmm......

What would give me pleasure?

I can see more movies...that aren't animated. (I really only go now when I take Seth.)

I could see more theatre. (But tix are super expensive these days for Broadway. We do go to Off-Bway.)

I could shop more. (But I go often enough already to TJ Maxx, and do enjoy that.)

I enjoy travel, but it also gets me tired. All the packing/unpacking, preparation, airport security, etc.

I could get more massages. (There was a time when I vowed to get one once/month, but I stopped following through.)

One of the things I would love the most is to spend quality time with friends. I definitely don't have the opportunity to do that enough. Everyone is SO busy, and getting together often revolves around a playdate for Seth. And, in that case, I'm not necessarily buds with the mom, but it works for the kids.

I miss having dinner out with a girlfriend and shooting the breeze and not looking at the clock.

My husband would watch Seth, and I could do that, but some of my closest girlfriends don't live in my neck of the woods, so they're not readily accessible. And, eating out with someone you can't converse with on a heartfelt level leaves me empty. I'm at the point in my life where I crave substance vs. superficiality.

So, I know somehow (and hope) that I'll better learn to incorporate fun into the everyday. I have to practice inviting it into my life.

It may not come easy for me, but in the long run, I'll be all the better for it.

What do you do for fun?