Step One: Start with Yourself

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

— George Bernard Shaw

• If you want to have fun you need to be fun-loving. It is inside each of us. Let it show in all that you do. Share it will others generously. Start a fun chain reaction with your smile, laugh or fun-loving spirit. It is contagious. When you lose your sense of buoyancy, you can reclaim it with a happy thought. Think like Peter Pan, happy thoughts and your spirit will soar. And the positive energy will carry you throughout your day and brighten the day for those around you. Try these ideas to help put you in the mood for fun.
• “Sometimes it takes a touch of audacity to lighten up the workplace. I have been known to walk around with a sticky note on my forehead that says, “I’m having a bad day!” Just putting a sticky note on your forehead immediately improves the mood of the wearer and the climate of the office. Try it. You’ll see.” Kelly Epperson, author “Live the Joy: It’s the Journey Of You!
• Dr. Tony Trunfio teaches Stress Management in Homer, NY. “I seize every opportunity I can to wear a costume (and not just on Halloween). They’re particularly useful on exam days when students are overwhelmed with test anxiety. They often take one look at me and end up forgetting what they’re stressed about, thus increasing their performance. Costumes can provide a great opportunity for educators to animate a stagnant class by deviating from the norm (incongruity theory). Besides, I think you’ll find that Grouch glasses and a clown wig can beautifully complement any ensemble.”
• Don’t wait for someone else to start the fun, become the fun catalyst.
• Discover the fun that naturally resides within you. Examine how you spend your time and evaluate what you can change to enliven the spontaneous, fun spirit with yourself and your coworkers.
• Each of us has fun in our own unique way. Cultivate your natural style. Get a little zany and create a domino effect of frivolity that starts with you.

 “All I wanna do is have fun. I got a feeling I’m not the only one.”

— Sherl Crow, AM& recording artist

Leslie