FUN.

Noun a. lively, joyous play or playfulness; b. a source of enjoyment, amusement, pleasure or diversion.

Fun is one of the simplest was to boosting our wellbeing!

It energises you, lifts you out of the mundane, ease your burdens, renews your optimism AND opens you up to new possibilities.

So when was the last time you really had fun?

You know it when you watch a kid joyously throw themselves into a new experience, or they let their imagination run wild, and really have no expectations of an outcome.

For adults, it’s probably been a while. Maybe reading this is the gentle nudge to help you explore fun a little more in your day or week. After all, researchers have found that our brains light up when we have fun. It:

• activates our pleasure & reward pathways generating the release of dopamine

• effects the frontal lobe (the logical thinking, executive, organising part of your brain) and it helps you to develop your memory

• allows you to see things in a different way

• stimulates your brain for learning, growth and creativity.

Fun doesn’t have to be physical. And at different times, we reach for different ways to experience fun. 5 types of fun are identified:

• Fun with others

• Fun the leaves you feeling content and happy

• Fun the might involve risk-taking achieving something new

• Fun the delights your senses

• Fun that is exciting and ecstatic

A handful of FUN ideas to test out for yourself and your family, that cost you very little but pay big:

• Acts of kindness

• Creating even simply experiencing works of art

• Exploration in your yard or walk in the bush

• Dancing full out to a favourite song

• Playing games

• Park or beach dates

• Solve a tricky puzzle together