Fun Times

"Research shows that challenging fun and accommodating fun, over the long term, bring more happiness, because they're sources of the elements that make people happiest; strong personal bonds, mastery, an atmosphere of growth. Relaxing fun tends to be passive - by design. So if relaxing fun is the least fun kind of fun, why is watching TV so popular? Because although we get more out of challenging fun and accommodating fun, we must also put more into it." - Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

I really like this book. I know you know that, because I have quoted from Gretchen Rubin twice this week. She simply states truths that I've been fumbling with for years. Her clarification of fun as having three categories, for instance; it's just genius. Rubin identifies challenging fun as "the most rewarding but also the most demanding."  My work at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was like this; stressful to arrange childcare for the kids, trying to learn the science-related Spanish needed for the curriculum, and taxing to drive the half-hour in morning traffic. But in the end, that class so FUN to teach! And fulfilling and rewarding. (On a side note, I am sad that I had to leave that job when I was so ill last year, but hopeful another type of challenging fun opens up).

Rubin's second category of accommodating fun is slightly less difficult to arrange and accomplish, but still throws up a few hurdles because, by definition, you have to accommodate other people in order to all have fun together. Day trips with the family, birthday brunches with a large friend group, bike rides with your spouse all fall into this category. This type of fun strengthens valuable connections and creates joint memories, things that require a bit of giving. Relaxing fun is watching TV or reading Entertainment Weekly magazine. Super easy and relaxing but not really rewarding or memorable. A bit of a trade-off there, but I feel like I am occasionally willing to give up the memorable and rewarding for veg time. Just not always, or even too frequently.

So now we embark on the long weekend, which will hopefully contain all three types of fun. I know that our Sunday hike up Mt. Bierstadt (a 14,000 foot peak) will be both challenging and accommodating. Rob's cousin, Michelle, and her friend Tim are also hiking with us so it will be a great bonding experience! Sunday night will be a chill evening with friends at Capture the Flag (if we are still walking) and Monday might include some TV - watching. Wishing the same kind of tripe-threat for you.