Off and Running! Need a Break?

Hey everybody!  We are already on Day 7 of the new year.  Can you believe it?  Time flies when you are having fun.

Are you having fun? 

The last few posts on here have been about setting goals and taking action.  Hopefully you have been doing that.  Did you start the new year off and running, or are you off to a slow start?  Either way, I encourage you to keep pursuing your goals and dreams.  There is an old saying that says “If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it.”  So make sure that you are pressing towards your goals.

However, what I would like to share with you today is about taking a break and having some fun.  Many of you probably started this year off and running.  I know I did, and it has been great.  I had my list of goals and have taken steps on a number of them.  It has “been fun” taking these steps towards my goal and seeing some progress, but that is not the kind of fun I am talking about.

I want you to be sure to have some real fun.  What I mean is – do something that you like to do that is not necessarily on your goal list.  Go play in the park with your family, go ice skating, go watch a movie or sit down by the fireplace and read a book.  Relax.  It’s ok.  Sometimes we can get so concentrated on accomplishing our goals that it starts to become work.  All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

If all you do is work, work, work, pretty soon you will become irritable and burnt out.  Maybe you have already experienced that at different times in your life.  I have.  I can tell you straight out that it is not worth it.  No one will be laying on their death bed saying, “I wish I would have worked more.”

So take some time to enjoy your family, your friends or just be by yourself.  Lately, we have been playing more games together as a family at our house and laughing our heads off.  No pressure to do anything or measure up to a standard, just simply being ourselves and joking around having fun.

Find something that you like to do and go do it.  You can be spontaneous, or you can schedule it.  Whatever works for you, just be sure to do it.

I challenge you to take 15 minutes today and do something that you enjoy.  Don’t think about anything else.  Set a timer if you have to, but just do it and be focused on the moment.  Enjoy it.  You’ll be glad you did.  Then do it again tomorrow and start having fun on a regular basis.  (Hint – you could make having more fun one of your goals.)  You will come back refreshed and ready to be off and running again.