40 Ways To Create A Little Fun
Nothing feels fun anymore. These were the exact words I said to myself yesterday, and it got me thinking and looking around. So much of the content I watch on YouTube is people pointing out why something is wrong or bad. So much of the media highlights everything that is going wrong. The fears of AI both for and against and so much more negativity.
I don't know about you, but I am sick of it.
So I am starting to fight back!
About the List
So my friend and I have been doing this list thing for years when ever we are feeling in a rut. We call it the X before X list. Usually it is around a birthday. So 23 before 23. You put 23 things you want to do before you turn 23.
I don't think either of us has actually completed a list in the many years we have been doing it, but that is not the point. The point is to get you out of your head and the rut and just start moving.
The beauty of this list is you can set it for future birthdays not just your next one if you want to work on bigger goals. Or it can be for any milestone you want like Christmas or the new year. Plus you can change the difficulty of it. Have things like big holidays, life changes or small fun things like we will cover today.
I am going to dox myself slightly here and say this list I created is 40 before 40 and my birthday is in November. So I am not going to be able to do huge things, but I still wanted to have fun with it. My life motto has always been growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional, and I wanted to tap into that.
List Rules
This is pretty simple, although they are more like guidelines. Pirates of the Caribbean for the win.
Rule 1, pick the number of tasks and your end date.
So for me that was 40 before 40. You can choose anything here. For example, it is currently 18 weeks till new years, relax that is ages away, so you could do 18 before New Years.
Rule 2, you need to decide on the level of difficulty you want to put on the tasks.
Be careful here.
Life is already busy enough, don't add all your tasks as huge things that are just going to create more stress in your life if you are not doing them. The goal is not to make you feel bad for not doing them, the goal is to have fun doing them. Add one big goal for sure that you have always wanted to do and can reasonable do in that time but make the rest small, easy, done in one sitting type of things.
Rule 3, you can change your mind.
If something is on the list you no longer want to do, change it. If something was more expensive than you thought so you cannot do it, change it. This is your list and not set in stone. Make it yours and let it grow with you.
Rule 4, it doesn't matter if they are not all done.
The goal is not to get them all done. It is cool if you do, but the goal is to shake up your life just a little. Even doing one thing on the list makes this happen and shows you that you can do it.
Rule 5. don’t beat yourself up about the list.
This is the most important rule so it is not a guideline. This is meant to be fun and not something else you are not doing. If it is not fun go back to rule 3 and change it.
My List
Visit Melbourne Zoo
Visit Healesville Sanctuary
Visit Werribee Open Range Zoo
Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens
Reading a book in a day
Learn a card trick
Learn to spin a pen
Learn to juggle
Learn to use chopsticks properly
Write a nice note and leave it in a random library book
Borrow a book and actually read it
Play a free game on Steam
Get a paper based escape room challenge and escape
Get and colour in a fun picture
Dance to a random song in my house
Sew a small plushie
Make myself a cape
Make a pet rock
Add a page to my junk journal
Tie die a shirt
Make something in resin
Pick and make a random kit from the craft store or Kmart
Make something nice for the front door
Get and make a tiny Lego set
Make something small in clay
Make something new in origami
Have a picnic
Walk along the beach preferably at sunset
Make a sandcastle
Eat at a new restaurant
Hand write a letter to a friend
Watch a show I have been putting off
Give blood
Learn a simple song on my piano
Complete a simple hand embroidery piece
Cast a spell
Update cork boards with new life
Update my desk area with new life
Have all the wrong meals in a day. So have dinner breakfast lunch instead of breakfast lunch dinner.
Make this list into a blog post - Done
Now It Is Your Turn
Set a goal. Create a list. Follow the Rules! And Have Fun.
If you want a copy of my list or a blank template to use you can get it by completing the form. Let me know in the comments what you put on your list and what you are excited to try.
Photo by Alfred Kenneally on Unsplash
