Fun Competion winner & runner ups

I was feeling burnt out last month and in need of some fun. So, in last month’s newsletter, I held a competition to see who could come up with the best activites for fun! Shawn Power is the winner. Runners up: David Tolsky & Kristin Erickson. Here are their entries. Hope they help you as much as they helped me!

Hi Jessica,

You’re always an inspiration making one dig deep inside and finding those tools we need to help carve out that path in life. Maybe one of my suggestions will help you carve a little “me time” path in life too?

“Me Time” can be difficult especially when we are head over heels in work and / or running a business. Add a spouse and kids… And a few more responsibilities and the unforeseen obstacle or two and the day can be over in a blink! Just remember it’s never impossible!
Meditation is important and most people just don’t get the true value of it, but you do and you should always include it in your daily routine because it can be fun and brings joy.

What I insist doing everyday is find the fun and (joy) that works for me even if I’m too busy. What is joy to you? Music? Art? Nature? A Novel? Singing? Fishing? Mountain Biking? Or maybe doing things you would never think you would do?
What works for me is finding the inner passions that make me happy and having fun doing them, other than career.
1 – A nice walk on the beach, you never know what you will see, hear, smell or pick up.
2 – A blank canvas and some paint… You don’t have to be an artist and you don’t even have to create art. What you are doing is pure expressions, and you never know what you might find within. It’s fun!
3 – A stroll in an art gallery can do wonders for the soul… It can be fun!
4 – Volunteering at a school or a non-profit charity can be rewarding and very unexpecting. And yes, fun! Go without any expectations and leave with a smile!
5 – Photography can be your new hobby and forces you to go places you would never would have thought of exploring. You’ll be amazed by the surprises you encounter. Shoot a piece of happiness, and then share with others your photos – this can bring lots of joy… And it’s fun!
6 – Buy some seeds or flowers and plant them in your garden… Dig in the dirt, touch the soil, feed the flowers and add a little more sunshine to your life. This can be fun not work…
7 – Buy a bag of clay and play with it… Again, you don’t have to create or be an artist, just have fun with it. You might discover a totally new “me time”.
8 – Mountain biking is fun!!!! Get off the busy roads and leave the concrete world, and take a ride with nature surrounding you… There are beginner to extreme trails all over Los Angeles and you will be addicted to it. There are so many places of the beaten path!
9 – Create a “lunch club” or “coffee club” with a few of your favorite people… It’s great time to add the meaning of friendship to your life. Get to know your friends better and build a lasting relationship… And yes, it fun!
10 – Start a collection…anything you find joy in. This forces you to check out thrift stores, barging stores, swap meets, auctions, estate sales, yard sales and even eBay. It’s fun… I have over 10,000 fast food toys and never once got them at a fast food restaurant. Cheap affordable collection that brightens my world and brings tons of fun… Plus you can play with them and be a kid again!

That’s all I’m sharing tonight, hope you find at least one of them in your weekly “me time” schedule. Have fun!

Truly, Shawn

My favorite thing to do for fun has always been….to just get away. Travel to a place that you’ve always wanted to go, even if it’s just for a few days…and enjoy the scenery. Take a friend or go by yourself for some quality "me time". Don’t take any work with you. Go for a hike in the trails, or a scenic bike ride. I recommend the northern coastal towns like Big Sur or Carmel, the small towns south of San Franscisco. It’s quiet there, near the beaches, and great trails.
Bring a book to read if you want. Relax and recharge the batteries.
D. Tolsky

I wanted to give some input on what some fun "me" time things to do
are.

1. Going to the beach alone and just relaxing while reading a book.
2. Going to a movie with some friends or alone is always magical too 🙂
3. Go on a walk, not to get an exercise, but to just "BE"
4. Light some candles in your bathroom and take a bath, with a glass of your
favorite wine.
5. Pamper yourself, do your nails, put on a facial mask and just sit and do nothing.

I know how you feel, sometimes it is hard just to do "Nothing". I also think that Yoga and meditation IS "me" time.

Well, I hope that helps.

Love,
Kristin