Wrapped! The Year of Fun

Originally posted on LinkedIn

This week, my family joins me in Australia for the epic conclusion of The Year of Fun.

In June 2022, I was mourning the years we lost trapped at home with Covid. We had done some fun stuff, finally took our postponed 2020 vacation, but my oldest was turning 12 last year, and I was very conscious that the time between now and “ugh, do I have to go?” could be short. How could I get some of that time back?

I think a lot about what lessons my children absorb from my actions, not just my words. So, if having fun with them was important to me, was I showing it?

The Year of Fun was born — one fun activity a month that was fun for everyone. When I found out Amtrak was selling tickets to NYC for $19, we started there. (I finally went to the Statue of Liberty!) The final month was always meant to be Australia. We also had some ideas that didn’t eventually pan out. (Thanks for spoiling a beautiful dream, Ticketmaster!) We would make the rest up as we went.

But The Year of Fun is not just epic trips and Taylor Swift tickets. My husband got to share his absolute love of movie theater popcorn with some equally enthusiastic fans. We took my baby nephew for his “first” ice cream cone (intentionally not fact-checked with his parents) and had kid-cooked meals. We spent time with lots of family members and friends. We spent a lot of time thinking about having fun AND we spent a lot of time going out and doing it.

I used to be very good at postponing fun so I could get through all the “shoulds” in my life. So good, in fact, that I learned 20 years ago that I could use New Year’s Resolutions to remind me not to wait for joy. I’ve resolved in past years to see a movie every month. To try a new restaurant every month. To take my kids on individual “mom mornings”.

So The Year of Fun was not just a way to bank more good memories. It also served as a year-long reminder to both me and my children that, when you cook up an idea of something fun to do, DO IT.

Where could you use a nudge to “just do it”? What’s something that’s important to you that needs a little extra space in your life?