The Grown Woman's Guide to Having More Fun
When did having fun become something you had to schedule three weeks in advance?
Somewhere between work, family, responsibilities, errands, appointments, bills, and that never-ending list of things that need to get done, fun can quietly disappear from our lives.
We don't necessarily decide to stop having fun. Life just gets full.
Before you know it, someone asks, "What do you do for fun?" and you have to think about it a little longer than you'd like.
If that sounds familiar, consider this your invitation to bring some fun back.
Enjoying your life is part of living it. Fun deserves some room, too.
First, What Sounds Fun to YU?
Here’s the thing about being grown: what you enjoy can change.
Maybe the clubs you once loved have been replaced by live jazz and a really good cocktail. Maybe you’d rather spend Saturday morning wandering through a farmers market than Saturday night somewhere loud. Or maybe you still want to put on your heels, grab your girls, and dance until your feet hurt.
All of it counts.
Fun can be loud, quiet, adventurous, creative, social, spontaneous, luxurious, silly, or completely ordinary.
The question is:
What sounds fun to YU right now?
Forget what’s trending or what someone your age is “supposed” to be doing. Pay attention to what makes you curious, excited, playful, or simply happy to be there.
Remember What You Used to Love
Sometimes the easiest way to find more fun is to remember what you’ve enjoyed before. Those memories can offer clues about what still lights you up today.
What did you love doing as a kid?
Roller skating? Riding your bike? Dancing? Coloring? Going to amusement parks? Playing games? Making things? Spending hours in a bookstore?
Maybe you’d still love some of those things now.
Go roller skating. Buy the coloring book. Get on the roller coaster. Have a game night. Take the dance class.
And if none of those things sound fun anymore? That’s okay too. You get to discover what does.
Get Out of Your Routine
There’s comfort in routine, and plenty of joy can be found right in the middle of everyday life. Sometimes, though, you want Tuesday to feel a little less like every other Tuesday.
That’s a good time to do something different.
Try the restaurant you’ve driven past a hundred times. Go to the museum after work. Find a comedy show. Take a pottery class. Visit a neighborhood you’ve never explored. Say yes to an invitation you’d usually talk yourself out of.
Sometimes a little change of scenery, a new experience, or an unexpected yes is enough to shake things up.
Stop Waiting for Everybody Else
You want to see the exhibit, but nobody else is interested.
You want to try the restaurant, but everyone’s schedule is ridiculous.
You found a concert you’d love, but you don’t have anyone to go with.
Go anyway.
Doing something alone doesn’t make the experience less valuable. And enjoying your own company doesn’t mean you don’t value spending time with the people you love.
The point is to stop making someone else’s availability a requirement for your enjoyment.
Consider this your invitation to make the reservation.
Buy the ticket.
And go.
And Make Room for Shared Fun, Too
Some experiences are wonderful on your own. Others are even better when shared with people you enjoy.
When was the last time you and your friends did something together that wasn’t centered around catching up over dinner?
Take a heels class. Go dancing. Visit a winery. Try afternoon tea. Go to the theater. Join a run/walk club. Have a karaoke night. Find a festival. Dress up for absolutely no reason.
Friendship deserves experiences too.
You don’t always need a birthday, bridal shower, or milestone to get everybody together.
Sometimes “because we haven’t had fun together in a minute” is reason enough.
Date Your Person Again
Long-term relationships can become very good at handling life.
Who’s picking up dinner? Did you pay that bill? What time is the appointment? What are we doing this weekend?
With so much life to manage together, playfulness can easily get crowded out.
Bring some of it back.
Try something neither of you has done. Recreate an early date. Take turns planning surprise outings. Get dressed up and go somewhere. Stay home and make the evening feel different from every other night at home.
Give yourselves opportunities to laugh, flirt, explore, play, and enjoy each other outside of everything you manage together.
Fun Can Fit Your Budget
Fun can be a splurge, and it can also cost very little.
Free concerts. Community festivals. Parks. Beaches. Library events. Walking tours. Farmers markets. Outdoor movies. Museum free days. Picnics. Game nights. Hiking trails. Neighborhood events.
There may be plenty happening around you that you’ve never explored.
So the next time you need something to do, try asking:
What’s happening around me?
You might be surprised by what you find.
Try Something You’re Probably Going to Be Bad At
One of the underrated pleasures of adulthood is doing something you’re terrible at and realizing absolutely nothing happens.
Paint the ugly picture.
Miss the dance step.
Burn the first loaf of bread.
Throw the pottery completely off-center.
Sing karaoke badly.
Everything you try doesn’t need to become a skill, side hustle, achievement, or Instagram-worthy moment.
You don’t even have to stick with it.
Try it once. Have a good time. Decide it’s not for you. Try something else.
Enjoyment is enough of a reason to give something a try.
Give Yourself Something to Look Forward To
Spontaneity is wonderful. So is having something on the calendar that makes you smile when you think about it.
That concert next month. Dinner with your girls Friday. A cooking class Saturday. Your annual beach day. The weekend getaway you’ve been talking about.
If something sounds good, give it a place on your calendar and enjoy having something to anticipate.
A full calendar shouldn’t mean the things you enjoy only get whatever time is left over.
Take a look ahead and ask yourself:
What’s coming up that I’m genuinely excited about?
If the answer is nothing, maybe it’s time to add something.
Your Fun Doesn’t Need Anyone’s Approval
Maybe your idea of a great Friday night is dancing until midnight.
Maybe it’s a puzzle, takeout, and nobody talking to you.
Maybe it’s hopping on a plane.
We’re not judging.
You get to decide what a good time looks like for YU.
And that may be one of the best parts of being grown. You’ve lived enough life to know what you like, you’re still allowed to change your mind, and there’s plenty left to discover.
Your Invitation
So here’s your Love YU invitation:
Do one thing this week simply because it sounds fun.
Go somewhere.
Call somebody.
Try something.
Stay home and do something that makes you laugh.
Buy the ticket you’ve been looking at.
Put something on the calendar that you can’t wait to do.
Fun doesn’t need to improve your résumé, help you reach a goal, or give you something impressive to post.
Sometimes you can simply have a good time.
Your life is happening now. Make some room to enjoy it.
Ready to Get Out of the House?
Sometimes you know you want to do something, you just have no idea what.
We can help with that.