I often wonder why it’s so damn hard to just be a big kid no matter how old you are, and hanging on to that carefree child even when you grow up. Why can’t we hold hands with our best friend in public without people thinking of sexual connotations? Why can’t we go outside, play, sing and dance whether its raining or sunny without people thinking we’re crazy? And why is it so hard for adults to smile or laugh, as if it is a sin or embarrassing thing to do?

If you remember the 1988 Tom Hank’s movie “Big”, it was about a 12 year old boy who made a wish at a magic wish machine to be a grown-up. The movie was about not getting caught up in society’s stringent rules and routines but remembering those things that made being young so great. It was about having a more innocent outlook on life, especially when facing the mundane world of adulthood. Western society teaches us to relinquish and suppress this inner child once we reach our teenage years. “Grow up, you’re not a child anymore! Stop being childish!” are words drummed into most of us kids. But psychologists as far back as Carl Jung believed that the inner child or divine child in all of us, is our sub-personality, that influences our instinctual needs, emotions and behaviour as adults. Our emotional experiences and earliest memories as children, both positive and negative, form part of our psyche in later life and are the basis of how we react to situations in an adult world.

But we spend most of our adulthood suppressing that innocence, with many of us depriving ourselves of the most simple joys of life, until we get too old and don’t care what others think, and nor does society care about the crazy antics of an old person. But not everyone lives like this. The Dalai Lama and his Buddhist followers, plus millions of Indians understand that laughter, happiness and joy are key to a healthy lifestyle.

So it’s no wonder that the native Fijian’s, without Western society’s pressure to conform, hang on to that inner child for most of their lives. They laugh, sing, dance and hold hands just as children love to do. They wake up each day and wonder about the things they can do today – regardless of weather, money or expectations. They go to work singing, laughing and smiling each day, no matter what their age or background. The workplace for a Fijian is just another part of their daily world to enjoy and embrace.

You just have to be jealous of the native Fijian people. They are born to their ancestral land and have no worries of a bank mortgage, home loans or credit card debts. Without the worry of money and finances like most cultures, they wake up each day and smile. It’s a pity we can’t all be big kids forever.

Join a safari of life, ancient culture and fresh wild foods at http://www.fijianfoodsafari.com
Follow this author’s culinary and cultural adventures in the South Pacific, living with the descendants of an ancient civilization that doesn’t live like the Western world. Explore, discover and be inspired by a world that Tom Hanks made popular in the film “Cast Away” with pristine oceans, no food allergies and an example of how the world should really be.

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There many wonderful reasons to dance. Dancing is one of the few ways you can actually exercise without even knowing you are exercising – because you are having so much fun. With the right dance lessons you can even include the social aspect of dancing. And If you’re a man or woman who watches calories you will be very happy to hear that burning calories feels great when you’re having fun burning them.

Dancing has so many benefits that you will be wondering why you don’t do it more often. You may think you can’t – or that you have two left feet or that you need to have partner. Choose dance lessons that make these barriers melt away (like a Modern Jive for example) and you’re set for spectacular results. At many classes having fun is important. However a Modern Jive dance lesson is actually an entire evening of fun, learning, skill building – and exercise with the emphasis on having fun. That means you can take your focus off exercising and simply relax into learning to dance. So the first big benefit is feeling and looking fitter without even thinking about it, Not to mention getting huge boost to your confidence. Here are some more benefits of learning to dance.

As little as thirty minutes of modern jive freestyle dancing 3 days a week can bring about profound results when it comes to your overall health and well-being.

1. Dancing burns calories. In a “freestyle” dance (practice dancing session) you can burn between 250 and 500 calories. Do that 3 times a week and it’s probably all you need to do.
2. Dancing helps you build stronger muscles. Strong abdominal muscles help you burn fat more efficiently even when you’re resting.
3. Dancing makes you happy. We all want to feel happy. Dancing to current tunes you hear at a party or in a club gives off endorphins, which give you a “high.” and the feeling of exhilaration. It’s not unusual for people to leave a dance lesson (after they’ve partner danced in the freestyle practice for 30-40 minutes) feeling like they are walking on air. And the feeling can last for a day or more.
4. Dancing helps tone all areas of your body making it ideal to do in conjunction with “focus spots.”
5. Modern Jive in particular provides an excellent opportunity to socialize and meet others. Imagine building a whole new social network of friends through a shared interest. For single people in particular it’s a great way to meet and make new friends in an inclusive atmosphere and reduce loneliness.
6. Dancing helps you gain a better sense of balance and grace (for men who often won’t dance because they feel they have neither, it’s worth taking lessons just for this benefit).
7. The physical activity of dancing can help you ward off potential illnesses that are often associated with excess weight and too little physical activity.
8. Dancing builds your confidence on and off the dance floor. Modern Jive is a dance that can be done at any social event. So you can grab every opportunity to dance and feel yourself getting better each time.
9. Dancing helps you include physical activity into your life without feeling it’s a punishment. For minimal commitment the benefits are huge.
10. Dancing helps you feel lighter, happier and more joyful, improving your sense of well-being.
11. Dancing, especially modern jive dancing, is FUN. We could all do with more fun in our lives as when we are having fun it reduces the amount of stress we are under. From line to salsa, to ballroom dancing, swing to modern jive dancing is fun and accessible whether you’re single, a couple or in a group. Just find the instruction and group that are right for you, take the first step and with commitment you will see the benefits. Your health will improve and your body will thank you for it. Whether you have danced all your life or are a novice dancing is a great way to bring physical fitness into your life and improve your health without feeling a sense of dread when you think of exercise.

Have you joined the Modern Jive dance craze? Join Nicky and her team for fun Modern Jive dance lessons in Toronto. Learn to dance in just 6 weeks, get fit and become a sought-after dance partner fast! No need for a partner and no dance experience required For more information, videos, workshops, and newsletter with subscriber discounts and goodies go to JiveNationToronto

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Winter can be a challenging season when it comes to thinking of things to do for the entertainment of families, kids need to get out and burn that energy off yet the seasonal weather is not exactly cooperative for hours of outside play. However there are many options for getting kids out of the house, from a trip out to a fun place for supper, to a romp in the snow. But what about winter weekends with the family? What kinds of things are there to do that everyone will enjoy this time of year?

These top five winter weekend family activities vary from active to passive pursuits and are sure to have something for everyone to enjoy, young and older alike. Like everything, some cost more money than others, so ideas to people on a variety of budget sizes as well.

1. Get Out of Dodge

On the more expensive side of things, families can take a break and head out of town or even the country on a winter vacation. If it’s winter sports that thrill your family, head to one of the family oriented ski resorts where younger children as well as adults can take ski lessons and hit the slopes. Enjoy an adrenalin experience in winter, the thrill and excitement of the days will ensure your little ones sleep through the night! If warmer temperatures are more up your family’s alley, a quick weekend getaway to warmer climes might be just the ticket to lift the winter doldrums and refresh you and your family.

2. Staycations

The going rage in saving money as well as learning about your local area is to stay home and explore the things that are around you that you never notice. Daytrips out around your local area can always discover some gems – winters fayres, visiting Santa claus, getting out to a rustic pub in the country. Or you can find indoor fun for the family, such activities as ice skating, laser tag or indoor play spaces to break up winter days and burn some of that endless kid energy.

3. At Home

If the snow and bitter cold wind keep you and yours from venturing out during the winter, plan ahead for movie marathons and crafting sessions. Winter weekend family activities do not have to be complicated, just something fresh and fun to do. New board games or video games can liven things right up without anyone getting out in the cold. Contests can be set up with the games, promoting lots of family fun, as long as you don’t get too competitive! Forfeits for the losers can be things like the washing up, that makes everyone get involved!

4. Get Outside

Bundle everyone up in your winter woollies and build a fort or an entire family of snowmen! Make your own village version of the Terracotta Army but out of snow! All the better when you come inside to warm up with hot chocolate and a movie.

5. Volunteer

A really great thing to do over the festive season. Something that you and your family will enjoy, but the people or the area you are helping. When the weather permits, take the family to the nursing home or rehab centre to talk to people who sometimes have very few if any visitors. Smaller children can draw pictures for them or sing songs. This sort of visit brightens many days for many people.

Alternatively, if you’d rather be outside, volunteer at a local park or National Trust area, there’s always lots to do that will get your blood pumping and ready to drop at the end of the day.

While winter time can be a challenging time for families, making a concentrated effort to plan fun activities and family weekend breaks will help keep the cabin fever at bay.

Graeme supplies his wizardry to oneagency.co, an award winning SEO Website Design agency – UK Weekend Breaks at Potters Holidays.

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Does this scenario sound anything like your life? Hard at work on an important project, eight or more hours a day at the office, arrive home to take care of household errands, projects, dinner, and car pool for the children, and maybe end the day with an additional hour or two of work to make the next day go a little smoother, so you tell yourself. This same day repeats itself Monday through Friday and the weekends are not much more fun.

Fun, remember that word, when was the last time you contemplated having some? Are you aware that the week I just described could become a lot more tolerable if you added a little fun in the mix? So why don’t you take the time to enjoy yourself more? Some see fun as unworthy of their time and even trivial. There is important work to do, right? What you may not realize is that fun is not a distraction from your successful life, but in fact can lead you to it.

Remember what it feels like to laugh uncontrollably until your sides hurt? If the last time you experienced that kind of fun was when you were a kid, then it is time to make plans. And not just for the fun of it, there is actually scientific proof that laughter is good for your health and your work.

• Laughter releases endorphins – just like exercise and chocolate!
• Laughter bolsters the immune system
• Play encourages creativity and thinking on the right side of the brain
• Reduces stress and burnout ” Play improves communication skills
• Play recaptures the spontaneity of childhood

By adding some fun into your life, that next big project that seems impossible to complete, can be completed with more ease and creativity as a result of taking time for fun and allowing your brain to stretch and rest. I hope I have convinced you that you should add some fun into your routine. If I have you may now be saying, “so what is that I will do to have fun”. What did you get lost in for hours as a child? Did you play alone or prefer a playmate, indoors or out of doors? Start remembering what you really loved to do, you will find that your childhood memories may help you to uncover your fun meter. Or you may already know what you love and be ready to make plans. I believe if you say, “You’re right I’m going to try to start having some fun”, you have not made a real commitment and it will never happen. But if you sit down and create a list of activities that you would enjoy doing and then start the planning process, then you will have created the structures to ensure you have some fun.

List of fun activities Enjoy a night at the movies with a good friend–Actions to make it happen–Pick up the phone and make the invitation.

I enjoy gardening–Actions to make it happen–Schedule time after work to stop at garden store and begin planning.

I love picnics–Actions to make it happen–Surprise your family and create a picnic dinner to share at the park or in the backyard-do it today or tomorrow.

A ballgame with a friend–Actions to make it happen–Get online order the tickets, call your friend and make the invitation.

A quiet bath–Actions to make it happen–Tell your family you will be unavailable for two hours, pick up some wine, candles and great music…today and enjoy! You get the idea. Now here is a challenge–make your own list of fun activities and keep it posted in clear view so that it is easily seen. It will remind you to have some fun occasionally. I encourage you to actually schedule some fun in your life. Pull out your PDA and schedule it now!

Donna Amos

Business Coach and Strategist

Infinite Possibilities Coaching

http://www.donnaamos.com

donna@donnaamos.com

Donna supports solopreneurs while they create incredible profitable businesses while maintaining balance in their lives. She only works with those that are committed and ready to take action. Email her to learn how she can help you create a successful business.

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1. Identify fun

A fun life consists of a good mix of routine and excitement. We feel comfortable having a daily timetable with goals and focus, but we need pleasurable experiences to shake us out of our complacency and make us feel alert, awake and happy. Remember what fun was for you. Think back over what you enjoyed as a child – rolling down hills, licking the bowl of cake mix, going ice-skating? And as a teenager? Was it running into the sea? Dancing into the early hours? Brainstorming? During the following weeks make a list of what fun was, and still is, for you and start doing those exciting things again.

2. Plan spontaneity

Randomness is fun, so why do we have to ‘plan’ spontaneity? Easy. Because, if you don’t, you’ll have no time for it. We fill up our days with ‘stuff’, so instead leave blank hours in your diary for time in which to bring back that freedom. And, when the moment comes, walk out of your front door with no idea whatsoever what you’re going to do and just see what happens.

3. Stretch yourself

What would get you out of your comfort zone and into a realm of discovery? Think about everything you’ve wanted to do, but somehow been scared to do it. Is it going camping? Bungee jumping? Or learning Chinese? Don’t wait. Just do it – and notice how much fun it is stretching yourself.

4. Celebrate

Celebrations can seem like forced fun. The yearly anticipation for New Year’s Eve, for example, can be more fun than the event when we find that our expectations aren’t met and we have yet another gloomy start to a new year. But celebrations don’t have to be big, you can think small. Who needs a wedding to celebrate? What about celebrating today with a picnic? Or the arrival of the weekend with an impromptu BBQ? How would you like to celebrate being alive today?

5. Say ‘Yes’

We talk a lot about saying ‘No’ and how important it is to put yourself first. Sometimes it’s important to say ‘No’ just so that you can say ‘Yes’ to something you don’t even know you want to do yet. Next time someone asks you to do something you weren’t planning, instead of saying ‘No, I promised I’d go shopping with my aunt’ or ‘Sorry, I can’t, I have to cook’, just say ‘Yes’. Enjoy the excitement and fun that ‘Yes’ will bring you.

6. Go with the feeling

So often we waste time making decisions. We just don’t know what we want. We’ve lost the ability to listen to our intuition. Once we stop listening to our feelings, we lose our confidence and that’s definitely no fun. Get in touch with what you want – listen to your gut feelings and, once you know what you want, then you’ll know what’s fun for you.

7. Laugh

What makes you laugh? Is it watching an old episode of ‘Cheers’? Supper with certain friends? Being tickled? Laughter always works. It epitomises what fun is all about. Increasingly as a society we’re becoming aware of the therapeutic benefits of laughter, but we knew them anyway. What makes you laugh most? What does it feel like when you laugh? And how can you do (even) more of it? Laughter is a great form of fun.

8. All roads lead to fun

It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do it thoroughly. Exploring anything intensely absorbs you and that’s a deep level of fun. What is it about throwing yourself into a subject that’s so much fun? Is it amassing knowledge? Getting out of yourself? Leaving yourself open to new things? Or is it the intensity? See how applying yourself to anything – from cooking a new recipe to exploring a new city can be fun. And then find the next thing to explore.

Nina Grunfeld loves having fun. In 2004 she created Life Clubs (http://www.lifeclubs.com), weekly self-development workshops around the UK and Canada that help people get to know themselves better and find the fun (and everything else) in their lives. Nina really enjoys running Life Clubs as every day is different and full of learning. If you want weekly hints and tips about fun and a host of other things, come to your local Life Clubs. If there isn’t one near you yet, subscribe to the Life Clubs bulletin (http://www.lifeclubs.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=7), read Nina’s blog (http://lifeclubs.blogspot.com/), follow Life Clubs on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LifeClubs) or buy one of Nina’s best selling books (http://www.lifeclubs.co.uk/wow-media-books-etc).

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My youngest son is in town with my two oldest  grandsons. That puts my whole family together – a very small family reunion – two sons and three grandsons. It is quite a wonderful experience having them under the same roof.

My visiting son invited his old friends and their children to the local park for a water balloon fight yesterday and I had no idea what to expect. How much fun can getting everybody wet possible be? It turns out – a lot. My conclusion is that having good old fashioned fun is a self improvement experience!

To set the scene: for three days we all filled balloons with water and stored them in coolers for the big day. The big kids filled most of them and I did some – just enough to learn that it isn’t as easy as it looks. We had  three coolers filled with water balloons and  the back of his truck filled with food as we arrived at the local park and set up shop in the large picnic pavilion. (There wasn’t much traffic at the park since the temperature was in the one hundreds and we had our choice of any picnic spot in the park). For every adult there was one or two children ranging in ages from 3 to 18, and it was the children that were the most interesting. Let me tell you what I learned.

A water balloon fight is an equalizer. It didn’t matter if you were a child or an adult, young or old, know or unknown – you got hit with balloons and you hit someone else. It was a wild free-for-all and the common denominator was laughter. The balloon-filled coolers were in the center so those who had to restock were in the target zone. Everyone was soaked and everyone had a good time. Only the three year old cried and after a few moments the crying turned to giggles as he got back into the fray and smashed a balloon smack in the middle of his mom.

You can’t hold on to anger in the middle of so much fun. There were no cross words, no reprimands, no verbal attacks, no one-upmanship. No one played too rough and no one was mean. Everyone watched out for the little ones making sure they were safe but being sure they got their share of getting wet. Water balloon fighting might make a good therapy tool.

Children are the greatest teachers of how to have fun. It was interesting to watch the children as they arrived.  None of the families had met each other before so the children didn’t know each other. But you would never know that. As they came to the picnic area, they looked around, found another kid their size and began to play. No introductions, no explanations – just instant rapport and instant play. They got involved watching the ducks swimming  in the lake and trying to catch a turtle. There was enough to see and do to keep them all interested and involved. Some had their scooters, a couple had fishing poles. They all had smiles and giggles. They didn’t seem to be interested in whether or not some other kid had designer labels or whose parents had the most prestige. They just played. Hmmm. I think they might be on to something.

A few hours of fun has an effect that lasts long after the party is over. This kind of fun – active participation and involvement – has a much longer effect than going to a movie or even a sports event. We were hot and tired when it was over but the mood was light and stayed that way for the rest of the day and late into the evening. I still feel good from it as I reflect on it.

A good water balloon fight should be followed by hot dogs and hamburgers. And it was. My oldest son played chef and sizzled up some hot dogs and hamburgers that disappeared in a matter of minutes and could easily win the prize for best picnic food of the century. There’s nothing like a skirmish and dripping wet clothes to whet the appetite.

A lot of endorphins were released yesterday and my guess is that everyone slept well last night after letting go of all the stress, the drama,  the trauma and the worry for those few hours on a Sunday afternoon. For us adults It was like being a kid again.

My conclusion? We need to get serious about having fun. Life is too short to spend it uptight and worried all the time. Let your hair down. Get real. Have a water balloon fight.

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Fun is a key ingredient to happiness. You can be happy without fun AND you can take your happiness to a whole new level when you add fun to your life.

You can be happy without having fun. But why would you do that? You’d be missing out on the joy and freedom that comes with fun and recreation!

People talk about balance. Okay, you want a balance that includes your work, your recreation, your important people and all your significant relationships. And you want to take care of your well being and health too.

Health? What does that have to with fun and happiness?

Happy people are healthier than people who fail to live in happiness. When you smile, and especially when you laugh out loud, you release what Dr. Candace Pert calls neuropeptides. Essentially, neuropeptides are released by your emotions. Good feelings release good chemicals that run through your system making you feel good and actually boost your immunity and health!

Pretty darn neat, don’t you think? When you do things that leave you feeling great you improve your health! You improve your physical and emotional health!

What do you do in your life that allows you to cut loose and just have fun? What activity brings you joy and laughter? I am not just talking about inner comfort. I mean outrageous goofy behaviors that leave you laughing inside and out!

Norman Cousin’s’ story about how he healed himself from a fatal illness by watching funny videos is not a myth. It is real. And it is real science too.

Here is the thing about fun – many people are afraid to look goofy. Most people refuse to look ridiculous – as if behaving in a silly manner changes who you are or what you have accomplished in your life!

I know all about those feelings. I thought if ever did anything that made me look foolish I would lose all my credibility and the respect of others who know me and those who do not know me!

I discovered nothing could be further from the truth.

Last year I felt the fear and did it anyway – a friend and I started making what we call Laughing Ladies Videos. Talk about looking completely foolish!

The amazing result was my little girl came out to play.! Holy crow! My little child never played in my life – not that way! Goodness gracious I had so much fun after that first video we went on to make two more.

And, as far as I can tell, I didn’t lose a single friend or client. In fact everyone who responded to our videos said they were rolling on the floor with laughter and thanked us for the break in their ho hum day.

I guarantee you will survive looking foolish and in the process have more fun than you can evener imagine! Do something ludicrous for the joy of it

And are you enjoying your life? IS outrageous fun part of your routine?
Take a moment to ask yourself if what you do every day has not led you to create a reality of happiness yet, will your world look any different tomorrow?
I invite you to discover new steps to the shortcut to happiness.
I wrote a Special Report: 45 Tips to Live in Happiness Now
Click here to get your FREE copy now.

And remember… Don’t give up hope… You deserve to be happy

Ali Bierman, The Happiness Gal who guides you down the path to Live In Happiness Now
http://LiveInHappinessNow.com

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