When you look around the world today, it seems that a lot of the fun has gone out of our lives. We take ourselves and life so seriously, we have stopped enjoying what we are doing.
Fun is something that provides amusement or enjoyment in your life.
So -- in the spirit of the topic -- this article is written with fun.
To be sure, there are somber moments and times when fun is not appropriate for the day. But if fun is never part of your day, week, and life, you may notice you have fewer friends than you could or should.
Some individuals feel that because the world is filled with so much violence and horror, having fun must be banned from their life. Our response is: it's time to get a life. In fact, if you are not having fun in your life, your success is being severely hindered.
If I were to call your closest friends and work colleagues, what would they say about your Fun Factor? Would there be enough evidence to prove you are enjoying life or would you be guilty of drinking sour-prune juice?
We should translate fun into all areas of our life. Work, home, relationships, hobbies -- what area in your life can use improvement?
Here's an example. Everyone's work environment can be intense with deadlines; excellence is required in all our projects, but we try not to take ourselves seriously. Fun is an attitude, a choice, a philosophy about life.
Recently, the staff decided that creating significant stress in my life was fun, so they conspired to fake the loss of all our data on the server. It took them several days of prep (which I have since deducted from their pay) so they could enjoy my 180 seconds of terror. The real fun will begin when I finish getting even!
There is medical evidence that humor and fun improve your health. Norm Cousins, in his book The Anatomy of an Illness, watched Three Stooges movies while in hospital, to heal himself. Laughing and having fun produces endorphins that strengthen your immune system and overall health.
Think about it. Have you ever laughed so hard, you could hardly breathe? How did that make you feel? Amazingly good, right?
I encourage you to be aware of the way fun and enjoyment can be part of most of your life. Admittedly, in the last year, I personally was not having as much fun at home as I had in the past because of my busy work schedules and the demands of my business. We have changed that through my intention to make sure that fun, humor, and enjoyment are part of my family life.
Think back to the Pink Panther movies with Inspector Clouseau. In one movie, the Inspector hires Kato, a martial arts expert, to surprise him without warning. I have started that game with my 8-year-old son. We play it almost daily.
You don't have to do what I've suggested -- just get with the program of enjoying yourself and having fun. That will be unique to each person reading this article so identify your own list of fun activities.
Twenty years ago, Montreal started the week-long Just for Laughs Comedy Festival; nobody thought it would work, but now several cities around the world host these festivals. Apparently, we like to laugh.
10 Steps to Having Fun and Enjoying Life
1. Would your closest friends say you are fun to be around or . . .? If you are not having fun, yet, get with the program. 2. Think about the different parts of your life: work, home, and leisure time. Are you having fun in most of them? If not, think of what you have to change to achieve it. 3. Lighten up! 4. Take your life seriously, but not yourself. 5. This week, engage in activities that make you laugh. Rent a funny movie; go to a comedy club; invite funny friends over; if you don't have any funny friends, rent some. 6. Life is busy; schedule your fun activities. Stop feeling guilty about the fun you are having. There is no redeeming value in being sincerely miserable on behalf of the world and your life. 7. Give your fun factor away. Become a Funmaster for others. 8. If you are unable to have fun or are not enjoyable to be with, please do us all a favor and limit your contact with others. 9. Question 8 was a test; if you got defensive after reading it, you failed the fun test. Return to the beginning of this article and start over; keep repeating this process until Action Step 8 no longer offends you. 10. It you are reading this Action Step, you got past the test question in number 8. Congratulations! Are you having fun, yet?
Until next time, keep "Living On Purpose."
Ken Keis
Alpharetta, GA., June 16, 2007. I would like to thank the people at Waldenbooks and North Point Mall in Alpharetta for making me feel right at home this afternoon. This was my second book-signing event for my novel, “Edgewise: An Assignment to Remember," and I was only supposed to be there from 2-4:00. I was having so much fun I stayed until 4:30! I would have stayed even longer but my cousins and sister dropped in for moral support and Carl and I were going to dinner with them as soon as I finished. Speaking of which, you DON’T want to be around MY family when they're hungry! The store manager, Laura, was fantastic, and she had everything ready when I arrived so all I had left to do was meet and greet the wonderful folks. It's really great to see how many people still read books. I know that sounds a bit weird, but in the times of computers, internet, tv, cable and busy work schedules, I'm surprised by how many people tell me they don't have time to read for fun. I'm one of those people. I don't read for fun as much as I would like. So it really does an author good to see folks still buying books and reading for enjoyment. It was such an incredible afternoon but the time just FLEW by! It's true what they say, "time really DOES fly when you're having fun!" If there is one thing I can say about Alpharetta, it’s that they made me feel right at home! I barely got set up when the first gentleman from Florida asked me to sign a copy, and I remained busy the rest of the time, signing books and posing for photographs with customers. A young man and his wife told me he was sent there by his mother to buy a book and get it signed for her. His mother lives in Illinois and is a friend I haven’t seen or heard from in over 40 years. She saw somewhere on the internet I was going to be in Alpharetta and sent her son over to see me. He put me on the phone with her and we talked for several minutes. How great was THAT? I can’t wait for my next event on June 30th at Mall of Georgia’s Waldenbooks in Buford, Georgia. Who knows who I will see there?"
If the name Darlene Wofford rings a bell it may be because she and Carl, her husband of 40 years are both native Atlantans, and along with sons Kenneth and Cory, have been Woodstock/ Acworth residents for 35 years. She has been in the mortgage finance industry for 20 years, and every Saturday morning in 2006 from 10-11:00, she co-hosted an hour-long Atlanta radio talk-show called "Your Inner Voice." She has also been interviewed recently regarding her novel on several Atlanta radio stations.
Based on true events in the author’s life, “An Assignment to Remember" is the first of three novels in her “Edgewise" series, with the second, “Seven Years ‘Til Sunrise," scheduled for release next year, followed by the third in 2009. The term "Edgewise" is used to describe the book's protagonist as a shattered young Atlanta woman in an edgewise state of mind--driven to the edge by back-to-back traumas. Her mind has shut down to block out the events, however other memories are blocked as well. "An Assignment to Remember" is not as much about the traumatic events. Rather, it is about her healing progression and the prevailing strength of unconditional love between two people, as the author tells her inspiring story through the eyes of her alter-ego, Delaney Rutherford. To quote Page One Lit literary newsletter, "Wofford is a wonderful writer whose personality and charisma is vivid in every word and sentence in her new book, "Edgewise: An Assignment to Remember." This is the most honest, heart-inspiring book ...(of the)... year. "Edgewise" is an example of how one woman wants to live in the past but realizes she can't. It is about confronting reality. It is about emotions. It is about communication. It is about life." A reader sums it up nicely on Barnes and Noble's web site in her review, "Edgewise took me on an emotional journey of laughter, sorrow and hope." To learn more about Darlene Wofford and "Edgewise: An Assignment to Remember," as well as view her Atlanta book-signing tour schedule, visit www.darlenewofford.com . To "Browse the Book" and see reviews from some of the book's readers, visit www.amazon.com . Blog directly with the author at “Darlene Wofford’s Newsroom": http://community.myfoxatlanta.com/blogs/darlenewofford
For media review copies or interview requests, contact: Promotional Services Department Tel: 888-728-8467 Fax: 812-961-3133 Email: pressreleases@authorhouse.com . (When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address).
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Both Ken Keis & Darlene F Wofford Wofford are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ken Keis has sinced written about articles on various topics from Personal Finance, Personal Finance and Marriage. Ken Keis is an internationally known author, speaker, consultant, & President of CRG. Many professionals herald CRG as the # 1 global resource center for Personal/Professional Development. For information on CRG Resources, please visit. Ken Keis's top article generates over 201000 views. to your Favourites.
Darlene F Wofford Wofford has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Wife/ Mother/ Author/ Speaker/ Former Atlanta Radio Talk Show Co-Host/ Image Consultant/ 20 years Mortgage Industry Both husband, Carl and Darlene are Atlanta natives, married 40 years with two sons, Kenneth and Cory. Author of novel, "Edgewise: An. Darlene F Wofford Wofford's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.