The Power of Fun – by Catherine Price
Date read: 7/7/22. Recommendation: 7/10.
I picked this up because I needed to establish better balance in my life post-COVID and generally make more room for having fun. I hit a point in 2022 where the only thing I prioritized for the previous two years was my career, working seven days a week for as long as I could remember, and just grinding it out. As a result, all I knew how to talk about was work. I forgot how to channel energy into letting go and having fun. The Power of Fun was a helpful resource for getting things back on track. Price defines true fun as the intersection of playfulness, connection, and flow. She walks through examples and self-guided activities for you to rediscover what this means to you. And she also details fun killers like judgment and distraction that you should avoid.
See my notes below or Amazon for details and reviews.
My Notes:
Components of fun:
“True Fun is the confluence of playfulness, connection, and flow.”
“True Fun helps us tap into a rising current of air that lifts us up.” CP
Playfulness:
Characteristics: Spirit of lightheartedness and freedom. Not caring too much about the outcome. No sense of obligation. Smile frequently, laugh easily.
“Play and playfulness can help us get back in touch with (or figure out for the first time) who we actually are.” CP
“It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality…the self that emerges through play is the core, authentic self.” D.W. Winnicott and Stuart Brown
Connection:
Characteristics: Special, shared experience with someone (or something) else. Connection to your physical environment, activity you’re participating in, or your own body.
“Our lives are what we pay attention to.” CP
“This is why philosopher Simone Weil called attention ‘the rarest and purest form of generosity.’ If you reflect on your most cherished memories from when you were a child, often they will involve an adult who chose, out of all the things in the world, out of all the other demands on their time, to pay attention to you.” CP
“When it comes to dying early, being socially isolated is thought to be an even bigger risk factor than physical inactivity and health problems associated with obesity.” CP
Flow:
Characteristics: Fully engrossed or engaged in your present experience to the point that you lose track of time.
Fun killers:
Distraction and judgment (prevent you from entering flow). Passive consumption. Resentment.
How fun people make others feel in their presence:
Everyone feels included. No one feels judged. Considerate of others’ feelings. They get excited with you. Create wonderful, shared memories. They’re generous, give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and are really open to others. They always have the time and energy to make people feel special.