FUN: We’re Finally Figuring It Out with Catherine Price
Apr 16, 2024
01:05:15
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Fun expert Catherine Price joins the Pod Squad to explore the essence of real fun vs. fake fun, the impact of mental load on fun, and the three key ingredients for fun. The discussion includes stand out fun moments and how to incorporate more joy into daily life.
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Quick takeaways
True fun results from the convergence of playfulness, connection, and flow, creating an energized, euphoric experience.
Distinguishing between true fun and fake fun, understanding the importance of quiet nourishment, and prioritizing activities that bring fulfillment.
Making space for fun in daily life, overcoming obstacles to experience joy, and recognizing the benefits of playful, connected flow in cultivating fun.
Deep dives
Defining True Fun: Playfulness, Connection, and Flow
True fun is experienced when playfulness, connection, and flow converge. Playfulness involves a lighthearted attitude and not taking oneself too seriously. Connection is the shared experience with others, creating a special bond. Flow refers to being actively engaged and focused to the point of losing track of time, and distractions can pull one out of this state. The combination of playfulness, connection, and flow results in the euphoric, energized feeling of true fun.
Identifying Fake Fun and Quiet Nourishment
Fake fun, such as social media consumption, does not lead to the feeling of playful, connected flow but leaves one feeling empty inside, contrasting with true fun. Quiet nourishment encompasses solitary activities like reading, painting, or meditating, providing a different form of fulfillment. Understanding these distinctions helps prioritize activities that bring true fun or quiet nourishment over sources of fake fun.
Cultivating Fun Despite Challenges
Having fun is not limited to privileged individuals and can be accessible to all. While challenges like a heavy mental load or lack of support can hinder fun, making space for fun in small moments or recognizing the need for permission and belief in its benefits can help individuals, even those facing obstacles, experience the joy and release that comes with true fun. Permission, belief in the positive impact of fun, and understanding the essence of playful, connected flow are key elements in cultivating fun, especially in situations where external factors may seem overwhelming.
Importance of Structure in Fun Activities
Having structure in fun activities creates a framework that allows individuals to fully immerse themselves in the experience. Whether it's playing a game with established rules or engaging in a structured hobby like painting, the presence of boundaries can actually enhance freedom and enjoyment. Fun within a structure provides the space for individuals to let go and be present in the moment, fostering a sense of liberation and ease.
Vulnerability and Inner Critic's Role in Fun
The presence of vulnerability and the quieting of the inner critic are essential components of experiencing true fun. When individuals feel comfortable being playful and vulnerable in front of those they trust, they can fully engage in fun activities. Creating an environment where the inner critic is silenced allows for a genuine expression of one's authentic self, contributing to a sense of connection, freedom, and joy in the moment.
300. FUN: We’re Finally Figuring It Out with Catherine Price
Pod Squad! Do you remember back in the very first days of the pod when we talked about FUN? It was episode 4. Now, hundreds of episodes later, we’re finally ready to give fun the long, deep dive and consideration it deserves. Abby is excited, Glennon is interested, and Amanda is skeptical, but we’re all here, ready to learn and maybe even to have a little fun. Thankfully, Fun Expert (how cool is that title?) and author of, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, Catherine Price is here to be our fun ambassador and to teach us all how to draw more fun and fun opportunities into day-to-day life!
Discover:
-The difference between real fun and fake fun;
-The mental load’s impact on fun;
-The three necessary ingredients for fun and how find your “Fun Magnets;” plus
-Abby, Glennon, and Amanda’s stand out fun moments and how they plan to create more of that in their lives.
Catherine Price is the author of The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again. She is also an award-winning health and science journalist, founder of Screen/Life Balance, and author of How to Break Up With Your Phone. She runs a substack newsletter called “How to Feel Alive” and her TED Talk, Why having fun is the secret to a healthier life, has been viewed close to five million times.