Fun. It’s not generally a word grown-ups think refers to them. And in light of the fact that 30% of adults say their mental health has declined significantly in the last year*, it seems even less relevant at the moment. Fun is for kids in the playground and dogs that chase their tails, not for those of us wrestling with financial and family worries, right? But all work and no play makes us dull. In truth, we neglect having fun at our peril.
‘I think people would like to have fun or experience more, but don’t seem to prioritise it,’ says Dr Marsha Chinichian, clinical psychologist for the Mindshine Mental Health Coach app. ‘Life is stressful and the responsibilities of adulthood derail us from creating more fun in our lives, but we must cultivate it because our wellbeing depends on it.’
Fun, in essence, is about letting go. It’s about living in the moment (£14.99, Bantam Press), Catherine Price describes fun as ‘the confluence of playfulness, connection and flow’, meaning that when we’re carefree, connected to someone or something (such as a pet, hobby or environment), and living in the present, it’s then that we experience ‘true fun’. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it, but isn’t it a bit – you know – selfish?
