Tag Archives: Joy

CHECK IN for Week 12: JAR OF FUN

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Your task for this week of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You is to make a JAR OF FUN.

This could be for Family Fun, Date Night Fun, or Artist/Adventure Day Fun.  Have you done yours yet?

When my daughter was growing up, we had a FAMILY FUN JAR.

This FUN JAR was one of the best things we did as a family to make sure we…

  • had QUALITY family time,

  • built our relationships,

  • had fun,

  • make wonderful memories together,

  • and grow personally.

How did we grow personally?

Each of us in our family added activities to the jar. Only a certain number of those activities could cost money; i.e. if we each put 5 activities in the jar, only one could cost money to do.

Who’s ever activity got picked also decided on what the meal was for that night.

All the details of dinner and the activity were decided by the author of the activity (unless they needed a bit of help.)

The big thing was, there was a rule that we HAD TO DO whatever was decided for dinner and for the activity!  (All within safety and appropriateness.)

We all became better at:

  • being creative

  • planning

  • problem solving

  • knowing each others likes and needs,

  • and, most of all, BEING WILLING TO DO WHAT ANOTHER WANTED without complaining, swaying or manipulating things to our own liking.

There is a lot to gain from a Jar of Fun!

Encouraging you to a Whole WILLING Heart,

Barbara

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2018 Week 12: JAR OF FUN

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Your task for Week 12 of a Lighter More Loving You is to create a JAR OF FUN!

A JAR OF FUN for…

  • your FAMILY, or

  • for DATES NIGHTS with your spouse, or

  • an ARTIST/ADVENTURE DAY for yourself, or

  • DO ALL THREE!!

In Week 11’s Check In, I said that an aspect of people who have “long and happy lives” is QUALITY CONNECTION.  Doing the WAVE is a good way to start to acknowledge and connect with others; to build QUALITY CONNECTION, however, takes time.

Having FUN TIME (or SNOOPY MOMENTS) together with your family, spouse, partner, or yourself, is the best way to forge that QUALITY CONNECTION.

The idea is simple:

Take a jar, write down activities to do, put them in the jar, choose one a week, and do them!

What is not so simple is making the TIME.

If you take the time to make and do the jar, you are more likely to make the time!

Need some ideas of what to put in the jar?  There are plenty of resources on-line.

FAMILY FUN IDEAS on Google

DATE NIGHT IDEAS 

ARTIST/ADVENTURE DAY IDEAS

You can even have “MAKING THE FUN JAR” as your first idea! The jar doesn’t have to be decorated.  Coming up with your ideas is all that is needed!
Feel free to share some of your ideas here.

Cheering You On to a Whole Jar Full of Fun Heart,

Barbara

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2018 Week 11: Do the Wave

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Week 11’s task for 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You is to do the WAVE!

Wave at everyone and anyone for a day…or more!  

People walking down the street. Those you pass in the car as your driving.

Not just people you know….EVERYONE!!!

Add a smile and make this extra special for you and your wave recipient. 

One of the things I loved about living in the western mountains of North Carolina was that people just waved at you as you drove or walked by….whether they knew you or not!

At first it was a bit odd as I kept wondering, “Who was that? Do I know them? Did I just accidentally snubbed somebody I should know by not waving back in time?”

Then I realized….they are just waving!  I loved it!

It was like being seen.  I was actually real….to someone! 

I had to decide what my WAVE was going to be.   An enthusiastic one?  A one finger raised off my steering wheel when I drove?  A nod and salute?   I ended up with the two finger, peace sign wave!

What is your wave going to be?

Have fun this week making people wonder AND brightening their day!

WAVING You On To a Whole “I See You” Heart,

Barbara

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CHECK IN for Week 10: Snoopy Moment

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Checking in for Week 10 of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You.

This week you were to have a Snoopy Moment…to have a day that you PLAY!

How did that go?  What did you do?  Feel free to share your Snoopy Moment below!

It’s not always easy in our driven society to take time to play. We are on the GO, we tend to be COMPETITIVE, and we like things to have a PURPOSE so as not to WASTE TIME.

What is play and what is so important about it?

Researcher Stuart Brown, MD, describes play as time spent without purpose. 

“Play is defined as engaging in an activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, there are seven properties that describe play:
  • it is apparently purposeless,
  • voluntary,
  • there is an inherent attraction to it,
  • while doing it there is freedom from time,
  • it diminishes the consciousness of self,
  • it has improvisational potential (open, not ridged), and
  • has a continuation desire which makes you want to do it more.

Play isn’t just about imagination; it is about rest and rejuvenation. It shapes our brain, fosters joy, creativity and innovation, and is essential to our health.” (1)

Research has shown that play brings joy. And it’s vital for problem solving, creativity and relationships.(2)

Don’t forget to play your way to a Lighter More Loving You!

Hoping you Double-Dog-Dared your Whole Heart,

Barbara

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