Resolutions for 2016 #39

In 2016 we will…

Have more fun!

It’s New Year’s Eve, a time to celebrate, raise a glass or two to the end of 2015 and welcome 2016. To many it marks the end of the festivities and a last chance to let our hair down, before the January blues kick in.

But hang on, who made the rules? Who said the fun had to stop in January?

This year I’m going to stop beating myself up about all the food I’ve eaten, all the drink I’ve drunk and all the money I’ve spent and instead think about how much fun I’ve had! There’s no question that life can sometimes get you down a bit, but it’s time like that we should be reminding ourselves we only have one life, let’s not waste it.

Children have a natural ability to have and create fun, but when we grow up many of us lose this sense of fun and that is such a shame. Of course, as adults, we have bigger responsibilities and we are expected to behave in a certain way, but hey who say’s we can’t have fun in the comfort of our own homes. I’ve been thinking of all the little, simple pleasures that I enjoyed doing as a child and in 2016 I plan to relive some of these experiences to reclaim my fun. Take a look at a couple of fun activities below and maybe you’ll recognise some of them yourself 🙂

Treasure hunt – I loved doing this as a child and guess what? You can still do it as an adult. Geocaching is the global treasure hunt for everyone and even better it gets you outside in the open air, exploring the countryside, finding places right on your doorstep that you probably didn’t even know were there and you get to find treasure, or cache, at the end of each hunt. Download the free app onto your phone; or for a small fee you can download the full version, which has a few extras, and it will show you the approximate areas that caches are hidden in. There is also a cryptic clue and an indication of the size of the cache you’re looking for. I have done this with my family and everyone has loved it. There is just one rule, if you find a cache you can take something, but you must replace it with something else for the next person. Caches can range in size from as small as a film canister, in which there is simply a list for you to write your name to prove you found it, or to as large as a chest, in which there will be lots of hidden treasures. My top tip is to stuff your pockets with the toys you get from Christmas crackers, as they make perfect caches.
Blowing bubbles – Such a simple thing, but oh so pleasing, relaxing and fun. From a health point of view, blowing bubbles is fantastic for de-stressing, as the slow breathing needed for perfect bubbles helps calm your body and the concentration of that one action also helps calm the mind. Fancy something a bit different? Try using different shaped bubble wands, adding coloured, washable paint to the mixture for rainbow bubbles or make your own giant string bubble wand and see who can make the biggest bubble.
Dance – When was the last time you danced for no reason? Whack on some music, turn off the lights and have a full on boogie around your living room just for the hell of it. It’s great exercise, fills you with humungous amounts of happy energy and best of all it’s fun. Try out all your best moves and if there’s anyone with you challenge them to a dance off!

Whether you’re going out or staying in this New Year’s Eve whatever you do remember to have fun! Let’s raise our glasses and make a toast to 2016, it’s going to be a good year!