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May
20

Dare for a Little Frivolity

Some of us might remember the game Truth or Dare when we were kids. I won’t speak for anyone else, but the Truths part were usually pretty lame and the Dares were pretty innocuous. Yet, they made us get out of our comfort zone, made us consider something else.

Here at the beginning of the work week most of us are in our comfort zone…the comfort zone of familiarity. For some of us this means jumping back on the bus to productivity land, or addressing those items that didn’t quite make it off the list last week, or possibly dealing with something either unpleasant or mundane. Work weeks can be like that. They can be simultaneously overwhelming and under-engaging, especially when we let others or other factors determine how our day or week will go. What if we didn’t succumb to the reliance of what we expect and decide instead to make our week a little different? What if we intentionally added in some frivolity to the week…right there on the to-do list between errands to run and work loads to address.

It seems so modern-day to have to schedule in fun…and that can take away the true joy and the true simplicity that is exactly what frivolity is about—amusement, levity, play. I sometimes have my class experiment with Laughing Yoga. Some are hesitant saying it doesn’t count if you have to force laughter. I counter that it does and before long even those who force a laugh fall into sincere laughter. It is true…the benefits from laughing: the lowering blood pressure, the increasing of T-cells to help the immune system, all happen whether we are forcing that laugh or whole heartily engaged.

This idea may get the sideways glance from the skeptical crowd, but for the rest of us…how about offering up a little light heartiness in your day—in your week—any time? Enjoy a little frivolity—just once—I dare you!