Life without fun in it just isn’t all that exciting. Yes, we all have responsibilities. Yes, there are things that we need to do, places we need to go, and moments when we need to present ourselves to the world as serious competent beings. However, when we spend all of our waking hours on these external things and forget to really live we miss out on the beauty of being here in the first place. Life should be fun. Life should be a beautiful dance of different experiences that make you jump for joy when you wake up each morning.

You don’t have to be one of those people who wakes up with a feeling of dread, misery and boredom each morning. If your job is not a source of joy in your life, try to fit things in OUTSIDE of your job to break up the week and bring you something to look forward to. Go out to dinner with friends, see a movie, go dancing or do something fun with your family. I know for those of you with overwhelming schedules and an oppressing amount of work to do, both at work and at home, this may seem like just another task. However, you may just need to re-prioritize your life to fit in things that make YOU happy. After all, this is YOUR life, and if you are not happy in it that is just plain unfair.

We can’t depend on other people to make us happy, after all they are just trying to get through their lives just as we are. If you want happiness and fun in your life… you need to bring it in. Make room for it. Look at your schedule, your obligations and chores and see what really NEEDS to be there and what REALLY doesn’t. My guess is that outside of your 40 hours of work, taking care of kids (if you have them) and minimal home maintenance/cleaning (which can be delegated by the way)… there shouldn’t be much in your way of finding time to have fun. You can even make exercise fun so it isn’t a chore.

If you are one of the people with the "fun suckers" in your life… as I like to call them (in laws, overbearing and time consuming family members, etc.) who tend to fill up your schedule with obligatory things you really don’t enjoy doing, then here are a few tips for dealing with them:

1. Just say NO… if you really don’t want to do something just say no. Works with the fun suckers just as well as it works with drugs. You don’t have to do ANYTHING you don’t want to do. No excuse needed.

2. Fill up your schedule before they do with things that make YOU happy… this is YOUR life after all - not anyone else’s.

3. Be yourself. Typically fun suckers don’t like us to be ourselves, which makes them even less fun and more stressful to be around. Do yourself a favor and be the person YOU are and not the image of perfection they want you to be. Who are you trying to kid anyway?

The next step for most people is to sit down and figure out what actually makes you happy. What is FUN for you? What did you always dream about doing that you haven’t done yet? Take some time and think about it and plan it out. Most of us are so busy trying to make OTHER people happy that we forget what makes OURSELVES happy. Get back in touch with yourself - and your hopes, dreams, desires and joy. Then go out and have some fun!

Disclaimer: this article is intended for inspirational purposes only and the techniques and ideas described herein are not to be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological treatment or without prior consultation with, approval of, and under the supervision of your physician or therapist. Application of the information, techniques and ideas in this article is at the sole risk and discretion of the reader.