You make your own fun.

I used to work with a guy years ago who oftentimes would use the expression:

“You make your own fun”.

And, at the time, I really didn’t think much about the expression.  It was just something he would spout every now and again.  But lately, that same expression has been coming back to me and it really hits home.  If you don’t make your own fun then you certainly cannot count on others to entertain you.  But how is it that I try to make my own fun in my life?  With age, and maybe a little more wisdom, I’ve learned that if you don’t make your own fun, then your life can become monotonous and well, not fun…

Have something to look forward to…

I think this one is the most important tip.  I make it a point to have interesting activities that I can look forward to.  For example, I already have plans to take a trip to the seashore with my wife for our anniversary, four months from now.  OK, it’s four months away, but that four months will fly by.  In the meantime, I have that experience to look forward to.  My wife and I can scour the internet for interesting things that we can do in that area.  We also are lovers of great food and we MUST have great meals when we are on any type of vacation, even if it is only for two nights.  We can use websites like TripAdvisor where you can find reviews of restaurants, hotels, and can find cheap flights to reasonable destinations.  I have used this site repeatedly to find lodging (like the seashore lodging I just spoke of) and restaurants.  I particularly love that others will review where they have stayed and where they have eaten.  What is also great is that you can create an account and then ask a question of the person who wrote the review.  What could be sweeter than that? I was actually able to email someone who wrote a review and that person stayed in the exact same room I will be staying in four months from now.

Invite friends over you haven’t seen for a while…

Fortunately, I have a wife who can cook as well as any chef on the Food Network.  We love to entertain but lately, as we have aged, we have gotten away from seeing friends that we used to see regularly.  Make that call and invite those old friends over for dinner.  If you cannot cook, order out and make some really good drinks for the occasion.  Check out the internet and find a great recipe for mai tais or cosmopolitans.  You could even buy a few good wines and have a wine tasting party.  Be creative but, more importantly, it is the time you are spending with your friends that really matters.

Get with Nature…

This past Father’s Day weekend, my daughters, my nephew, and I, hiked up a local mountain. We planned the route ahead of time and my daughters made it a special day by going out and buying bandanas for each of us on the hike. They also decorated each bandana based on who was going to wear it. My wife made us a delectable lunch that we were able to eat at the summit, as well as a trail mix that we snacked on along the way at various breaks where there were breathtaking views. On the ride to and from the mountain, my daughters acted as disc jockeys selecting various songs from their iPods. Upon our return, once again, my wife had a tremendous dinner of soft tacos and all the fixings prepared. A couple of well-deserved beverages were also consumed at dinner. Getting closer to nature is a very affordable way to make your own fun.

Get active and help out…

Helping out in the community in which you live can be very rewarding, and fun!  My wife and I help out with the theater program at my daughter’s high school by building the sets.  Being an avid woodworker, it really isn’t what I would call fine woodworking, but it is using my hands and woodworking tools.  This is the fun part for me.  I find building anything very satisfying.  There are many other ways you can help out in your community by volunteering at your local soup kitchen or helping out any local charity.  Giving blood is another experience everyone should take part in.  You’ll find the other donors very interesting and you’d be surprised how good you will feel afterwards.  You may find that helping out your fellow man can be a lot of fun and just may give you a new outlook on your own life.

Tackle a project.

If you own a home, or rent for that matter, there is always a project that you can attend to.  I’m a sucker for landscaping, especially at this time of year.  So, if it’s building a stone patio, or creating a new flower bed, I can always find a new project to work on.  Projects can be fun and when you finish them there is nothing more rewarding.  Maybe it’s simply painting a room inside your home or refinishing an old desk.  It really doesn’t matter what it is.  If you are adding some spice to your living environment and using your own sweat equity to make it happen, it will be a fun experience.

Making your own fun is up to you.  You can wait for others to come to you or you can take the initiative and add some excitement to your life. Take it to heart and you’ll be much happier for it…

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