We go through phases in life and some of those phases are definitely more fun than others. They can and should all be enjoyed though. As a mom, one of the things I want my kids to learn is how to have fun and be happy even when things are a bit overwhelming.

That’s important.

There’s always going to be something that you are struggling with. If we wait until things are perfect to have fun and enjoy being together it’s never going to happen.

Life is made up of little moments so we have to learn to stop and enjoy all those little moments as well go. I want my kids to remember me dropping everything to play with them instead of me always holed up at my desk trying to finish “one last thing”.

I’m going through a particularly overwhelming phase of life at the moment and I’ve been using it as an excuse to not enjoy all the little moments so I was excited to hear about the #MilkLife campaign that encourages families to milk life and live life to the fullest. I need to have some fun! They have some great daily challenges and I was more than willing to try a few out so I can practice being the fun mom.

This past year has been hard for me. My family has had a lot thrown at us and we’re feeling a bit beaten up. Somewhere along the lines I stopped having fun. I told myself I was too busy or too stressed or too tired to have fun. But there’s one major problem with that.

Life is supposed to be fun.

#MilkLife Challenge

If you need a little extra fun in your life you can jump in and take the #MilkLife challenge with me. There are daily prompts that give you some great ideas for ways to milk life and have some fun. You can win great prizes along the way too like a month or even a year’s supply of milk!

Check out details on the #MilkLife Facebook page (and jump in and try a few challenges out yourself)

7 Ways to Have More Fun

Take Care of Yourself

I’m not fun at all when I’m sleep deprived and putting my own needs last. I think that means it’s time for a nap! I’ll be much more fun when I’ve taken care of myself.

Part of the way I take care of myself is by making sure I’m eating healthy and not skipping meals (which is easier said than done when you have infant twins). My family loves milk, especially when I use it to make a smoothie like our favorite Blueberry Banana smoothie that is packed with all the great benefits of milk like 9 essential nutrients, including 8 grams of high quality protein for every 8 ounce glass. It makes a great snack or breakfast and then we are ready to get back to having fun.

Get Outside

There’s something about being out in nature that recharges you. I love taking my kids to the beach or exploring a new trail because it’s a great chance to step away from the things that are stressing me out and just be present in the moment so I can enjoy my kids.

I’ve had fun looking through the #MilkLife challenges and getting ideas for how to make our summer more fun. When I saw challenge #12 I knew I had to jump on it. The challenge is to freshen up by making sure you take some time to get outside and play with your kids.

That’s definitely a challenge I needed to jump on. We live near the beach and have no excuse for not getting out there more often. It’s relaxing and always helps us to have fun together so I’ve been making an effort to get everyone to the beach as often as possible this week. Sometimes we have a picnic lunch, or go on a shell hunt. Other times we just sit and talk if we need a minute to get away.

Set One Fun Goal a Day

I am terrible about plowing through my to-do list until everything is done. You can probably see where that’s headed. There’s always more to do! Why not put having fun on your to-do list? Do at least one fun thing every single day. Sit down and have a family meeting if you need to and make a list of some of the things everyone wants to do.

Slow Down

It’s hard to have fun when you don’t get a chance to relax. What can you cut out of your schedule so you can have more fun in your life? I’ve taken a good hard look at the way I spend my time. Some of my biggest time wasters are often things that can be cut out of my schedule completely with a little bit of rearranging. When you slow down you have more space in your life (and energy) for a bit of fun.

Pick up a New Hobby

When I’m busy the last thing I have time for is starting a new hobby . . . but sometimes that’s just what I need. Pick up an old hobby that you’ve ignored for a while or try something new. Taking some time for something fun in your life may even help you be more productive in other areas of your life.

Hang Out Around Fun People

Do you have any “fun” friends? Just like a good attitude can rub off on you, so can a tendency to be fun. Make time for those fun friends in your life and follow their lead.

Do Something Just Because you Want To

There doesn’t always have to be a purpose behind everything you do. If you are stuck in a boring rut start by just thinking about something that sounds fun to do and doing it. For me, this is often reading a book that is a complete escapist read. It serves no purpose other than to entertain me. Figure out what is fun to you and make some time for it.

What do you do when you need to have more fun in your life?

 

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.