As adults, we often forget the simplicity of the “before” times. Before the job, the family, and the dreaded smartphone, we all allowed ourselves to have a little fun. I recently came across a book that explores the concept of fun and why it’s a necessary part of the human experience, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again.
In it, author Catherine Wicker notes that universally fun experiences meet three criteria: playfulness, connection, and flow. Each of these has been shown to improve people’s moods and mental health when experienced on their own, but when people experience these three states at once, the effects that they report are almost magical.
When people are having actual fun, they report feeling focused and present, free from anxiety and self-criticism. They feel connected to other people and to their authentic selves.