That Was Fun

The other day my friend told me she ’s trying to get back into a routine. She reminisced about the holidays, “Yep, that was fun.”

Kind of like the day back after a vacation, or the morning after a festive night. “That was fun,…”

It’s difficult not to fill in the rest of the sentence with

…but now I have to get to work.

or

…but now it’s time to be serious.

or

…but now I have to face real life.

And now January is practically over. If you haven’t made progress, this can be a very depressing time.  It’s gloomy outside, you haven’t lost the weight you put on over the holidays, you haven’t crossed anything off your resolution list, you haven’t finished your work recap, and the list goes on.

NONE of these things is the problem! The problem is YOU AREN’T HAVING ANY FUN. Our bodies and spirits are so much more cooperative when we’re having fun.

Think of something you can add to your day to keep some of that holiday spirit alive, then use it to help you accomplish your goals. Why were the holidays fun? (I know the holidays are often not fun at all, but I’m sure there was one spark of joy in there somewhere.)

• Make plans to see a friend.
• Bake cookies.
• Send a card/text/email to your mom or a friend or someone you admire.
• Window shop.
• Wear red.
• Call a friend.
• Watch a movie.
• Read.
• Get a manicure.
• Dress up.
• Go out to eat. (See post: Happiness Tip)
• Pay for the person behind you in the Starbucks drive-thru.
• Volunteer at the library or local homeless shelter.

Example:

• Your goal is to lose ten pounds. Drinking more water will help you with this goal. Even if you don’t want to lose weight, drinking water helps with everything, so keep reading.
• Today’s attainable goal: Drink 4 glasses of water. You know you can do this! Put 4 reminders in your phone for today.
• When you accomplish this goal, congratulate yourself and do something you think is fun.

Get UNSTUCK. Motivate yourself one tiny accomplishment and reward at a time. Make it your goal every day to be able to say, “That was fun!”

Be inspired. Go forth. Create your day.