Science of Fun: Happy Fool’s Day! (Aint joke)

Less serious, please!

I am a human rights lawyer. Very serious profession. Add to that... specialized on legal protection of civilians in warzones and post-conflict settings. Meetings, negotiations, conferences, diplomatic receptions, flying bullets, blasts and alike... Most of the time: a very serious or (fake) smiling poker face. Imagine me at home... as if you have a domestic judge: "I have qualified your actions, and you're sentenced... to be punished! Harshly!" (laughing).

At some point in my life, I have realized that been too serious... all the time... everywhere. Aint easy to live with such a person. Now, I understand my ex much better…after our divorce (laughing). I've had a hard time to live with myself! I can imagine how it's been for him! (joking: we've managed to remain good friends and now effectively co-parent our teenager boy).

Back to our main topic. One day, that "Aha!" enlightening moment has opened my eyes: let go off your seriousness... find a chance and reason to smile and to actually laugh! Out loud to stomach hurt! Live your full and enjoyable life! It is possible. Even if you are dealing with dead serious and heavy issues on a daily basis at work. Especially, if so! Have fun! Chillllaaaax! For God's sake! And, by the way, a good occasion is upcoming: the April Fool's Day. Why not to have some family fun on that day? Do something just for the sake of pleasure of it? Let's dig in!

April Fools’ Day is celebrated on 1 April for several centuries by different cultures. Knowbody knows the exact origins. April Fools’ Day traditions include playing hoaxes or practical jokes on others, often yelling “April Fools!” at the end to clue in the subject of the April Fools’ Day prank. April Fools’ Day: Origins, Meaning & Hoaxes

Family Fun

When was the last time you've had family fun? Like real feel-so-good kind of fun? When everyone felt "joyfully alive?" Do you remember that moment of happiness? I'm having hard time to do that frankly... Lately, it's been more like challenges and yet again challenges, health and financial issues, stress and anxiety, overwhelm and overload, serious problems-solving, hard and hurt feelings etc. Tough times of pandemic, wars and economic crisis... Non-stop. Probably, that's why we've simply forgotten that jokes and humor can diffuse hardship situations. Actually, it's a well-known fact that a smile and a genuine laughter (not that neurotic one that sometimes we experience) increase our life satisfaction. Sure, you must be: "But how??? I have so many problems! So many things to take care of...?!" Your humble Life Coach has found the answers for you. Keep reading please.

I am lucky that my husband has a good sense of humor. Mine isn’t so bad either… Don’t you think? (smiling). We’ve joked around a lot when we were dating. After our 1-year old son was born, we’re stuck in the never-ending domestic routine, sleepless nights, relationship adjustments, teething, tummy ache and other interesting moments brought by our newborn. I’m in not in a mood for humor. Like at all. Not much receptive to jokes either… Remember the first year after your child's been born? That's what I am talking about.

And here comes the science of fun and its positive impact on our mental and physical health. Fun is a lighthearted pleasure (dictionary definition). True fun makes us live longer! How? Because, having fun reduces our stress levels and improves our human connection and social relationships (less feeling of loneliness and isolation). When you're laughing, you feel relaxed and energized. So, let’s have fun on 1 April and beyond! We can learn from our children. They have fun most of the time. They make fun of everything. Anywhere. Anytime. Let’s engage and learn from them! Let’s playfully connect to our partner and kids! Let yourself be silly just like that! Entertain your inner-child.

When was the last time you felt exhilarated and lighthearted? Catherine Rice, Fun Expert

I have discovered The Fun Expert (surprise, surprise! They exist, apparently). Catherine Rice is a science journalist who helps "people scroll less, live more, and have fun". She's the author of the best-seller The Power of Fun: How To Feel Alive Again (howtohavefun.com). Highly recommend you to read this book. I loved it! Catherine says that actually ‘free time is more difficult to enjoy than work’ and "that leisure time should be used efficiently", recommends to reflect on your life to be joyfully alive and have more fun. Her formula of Funtervention consists of 3 psychological states: playfulness, connection and flow = true fun. The Fun Expert's advice: plan having fun time by putting the fun magnets on your schedule. The goal: there's something fun you look forward to. Funintervention, as per Catherine.

April Fool's Day Family-Friendly Ideas

• Organize The family Funtervention!

• Agree in advance to prank each other and tell jokes on 1 April;

• At night, toothpaste face-paint the sleeping family members, both adults and children (you might want to exclude the grandparents to avoid unwanted incidents…)

• How about the April Fool’s Day party at home?

• Jokes competition: prepare prizes for the best and the worst joke and/or anecdote and/or prank, the best and the worst joke/anecdote teller and/or pranker;

• Serve lunch/dinner table in the April Fool’s Day theme;

• If the weather is nice, go for a picnic and have an outdoor barbecue. The April Fool’s Day themed, don’t forget!
  

How do you plan to spend your leisure time with family this week? Same weekend routine? Why not to diversify it with celebrating the April Fool’s Day? Let’s plan and have fun! Get at ease with your neurosis, laugh at it! Approach your life with a playful ease. Create some of those unforgettable happy moments with your family! It's the journey itself that matters, not the destination, right? Life's is a roller-coaster ride that we should enjoy.

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At Modern Parenting, we help new and experienced parents to take The well-informed decisions based on the most advanced scientific research and the international human rights standards. If you'd like to learn more of our lifehacks on how to make your Family Healthier&Happier, book your session now and here! Get the personal strategy customized for your family!

Happy April Fool's Day!

Gulnoz,

Your Life Coach (aka Oxford-graduated Human Rights Lawyer)