The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again

by Catherine Price

True Fun is restorative. It increases resilience and empathy. It creates community. It reduces resentment. True Fun does wonders for our emotional well-being by empowering us to connect with other people, escape from self-judgment, and be fully present. Orienting our lives around True Fun will boost our creativity and productivity. It will make us better—and happier—partners, parents, workers, citizens, and friends. True Fun is good for our health. It gets us up from our desks, out of our heads, and into the world. Having more True Fun lowers our stress levels, and over time, that will likely lower our risks for all the health problems that are triggered or exacerbated by stress, such as heart attacks, strokes, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dementia. The pursuit of True Fun helps us stay true to our authentic selves, with less time spent on mindless distraction and empty pursuits and more time devoted to people, experiences, and activities that bring us a sense of meaning and joy. Best of all, orienting our lives around True Fun is, well, fun! Unlike most self-improvement projects, which require us to exercise willpower and self-restraint in hopes of achieving some future goal, prioritizing fun will make our existence more invigorating and enjoyable in the moment. It’s like going on a diet that requires you to eat more foods that you love. —