Choosing to be fuelled by fun!

Smiley happy faces

I was feeling a bit frustrated with myself – contemplating where I was in life, versus where I see others, where I thought I should be etc etc. You know, the good old “how-to-make-yourself-feel-like-crap” tactic - to compare your life with other successful people (or at least people you see as being successful,  whether they feel that is a whole other blog post!!!!!)

Don’t underestimate the skill of getting to 42 and still being on the same wage packet you were on at 32!! It is quite an achievement to work your arse off and not actually get anywhere.

So, after beating myself up for a while, I came to realise that the reason for this wasn’t my lack of desire to move up the career ladder, but more to do with my desire to achieve much more fun stuff and live a fun life NOW! Rather than work my backside off, and work myself into the ground just so I can retire early and do the fun stuff I’ve always wanted to do – I want to do the fun stuff now!

There’s a saying that what you focus on the most is what you get (I think winning lotto tickets are exempt from this rule!).

My main aim/focus over the last few years is to actually love life and enjoy it to its fullest, and while I need to work to pay the bills etc, it doesn’t mean having to work every hour to move up the career ladder – that, for me, is not loving life. 

More smiley happy faces

My main focus now is my mental health and physical health, which comes from what can only be described as “playing out with my mates!” We run, we swim, we cycle and occasionally go out for a cheeky beverage or 10. Whatever we do we’re all fuelled by the same ingredients – fun (and cake!)

So I can’t berate myself for not earning more money, because that is definitely not where my focus has been. My main focus has been on having fun, supporting those I love and care for, to make sure they’re having fun, or at least not getting into a black hole.

That’s what I’m still focussing on, but now, with the help of those amazing friends, the focus is on encouraging more people to look after their mental and physical health. Taking time out for yourself is not a bad thing – your family/friends/kids/grandchildren would much prefer you to have that run or that bike ride if it makes you happy, rather than see you in a black hole.

Being fuelled by fun is a choice, it’s not something for the rich/beautiful/famous, you might have to sacrifice something (in my case a pay rise), but I feel it’s definitely a better choice.