Life Pillar – Fun is often the most misunderstood—and most neglected—pillar of a well‑designed life. People assume fun is optional, something you squeeze in after the “real” work is done. But just like Health, Finance, Spirituality, Relationships, and Service, Fun is part of a healthy life’s infrastructure. It supports your emotional resilience, your creativity, your capacity to connect, and your ability to stay engaged with life, but mostly it helps to maintain a healthy attitude.
Fun is not frivolous. Fun is fuel.
And yet, for many of us who pride ourselves on discipline, responsibility, and achievement fun expendable. It’s not that we sacrifice it, we simply never even include it into the equation. As you read through this post, take a look at the Life Pillar-Fun Worksheet.
LIFE PILLAR – Fun. Some Benefits.
There are many benefits to incorporating fun into your life. When I created MY Life Pillars framework, fun was not an afterthought. I specifically included it as one of my pillars. Why? Because what I know is this, a life without joy becomes a life you have to endure rather than a life you get to live.
Life Pillar – Fun is not about being silly or irresponsible. It’s about reconnecting with the parts of yourself that get buried under obligation. It’s about giving your nervous system a break from constant vigilance. It’s about allowing creativity to breathe. It’s about remembering that pleasure is not a reward—it’s a human need. It’s about staying curious, adaptable, and emotionally alive.
Fun is a form of self‑respect. It says, “My whole life matters. Yes, tasks, deadlines, and duty are important. I know, all too well, what happens when “fun” is eliminated from the calculation. I have colleagues who are so miserable and unhappy because every waking hour is about doing the task. There is no fun, no enjoyment in their lives and who they are speaks to that way of showing up.
As a left-brained lawyer, I get the necessity for staying focused on obligations that need to get done. I have not gotten to where I am by not doing what was required. Responsibility, commitment, and obligations, I’m all about that. And, I now realize that there is a time and place for everything. Having no fun is as unhealthy as living a life believing that fun is the only thing that matters. Neither is the basis for a balanced healthy life.
Life Pillar-Fun. HOW WE LOSE FUN
On the wall of my hairdresser’s salon reads a plaque that says, “Beautiful hair does not happen by mistake, it happens by design.” So it’s also true of a well-designed, holistic approach to life.
How does fun get lost? It happens slowly, carefully, and by design. Somewhere along the way, many of us internalize the belief that adulthood means only seriousness. Then there are those who talk of fun, but don’t really know what it means. For example, they go on family vacations and work. They share a meal with family or friends and text throughout. They take calls in the middle of the night. No time for fun, no time for rest, no time for connection with the ones you say you love.
After living a life tethered to our devices, ignoring our family and friends, and struggling through a day, we wake up and wonder—where the fun went? We can’t remember the last time we laughed out loud. We’ve become efficient but not fulfilled. Our days are full, but our spirits are empty. Like any muscle we neglect, if we don’t use it we lose it.
Again, this doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through small, repeated choices that prioritize everything and everyone else. Charity begins at home.
FUN AS AN ESTEEMABLE ACT
In the Esteemable Acts® approach, we talk about taking actions that align with the person you want to be. Here’s the truth: Choosing joy and having a bit of fun, on occasion, is an esteemable act. It requires courage to step away from the to‑do list. It requires humility to admit you need rest, pleasure, and play. It requires intention to design a life that includes joy—not as a luxury, but as a practice.
Fun builds self‑esteem because it reminds you that you are worthy of delight, not just duty.
WHAT FUN LOOKS LIKE AT THIS STAGE OF LIFE
Fun evolves as we evolve.
In my early twenties, fun looked different than it does at seventy‑three. Back then, it was about drinking, nightclubs, and discos. Today, fun is a good mystery series that makes me think. It’s a long walk or lunch with a friend. It’s backgammon (or another board game) that challenges my brain. It’s a museum visit that sparks curiosity. It’s a cruise that invites me to explore a world filled with endless possibilities. It’s a quiet afternoon playing with my cats. It’s learning something new e.g., how to write a novel. It’s laughing with people who make me feel alive.
Fun doesn’t have to be loud, expensive, or Instagram‑worthy. It just has to be yours. This past week I played Monopoly with two galpals. Every month we have a game day where we play a different board game. So fun!
An Honest look at Last year so You Can Move Ahead with
- Was there ever a time when you allowed your creativity to soar?
- What did you enjoy before life got so serious?
- What activities do you enjoy doing?
- When was the last time you felt light, playful, or curious?
- What brings you joy that you’ve been “too busy” to do?
- What would fun look like if you didn’t need permission?
Your answers are important clues. Take them seriously. Follow them.
Having Fun–By Design
Once again, a balanced life doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by design. The same goes for fun.
Just as you schedule doctor appointments, financial reviews, or spiritual practices, you must schedule fun. Put it on the calendar. Honor it. Protect it. When you make time for joy, you think more clearly. You connect more deeply. You handle stress more gracefully. You become more creative. You feel more alive. Fun is not the opposite of responsibility. Fun is what makes responsibility sustainable.
FINAL THOUGHT: FUN IS A LIFE SKILL
Fun is not childish. Fun is not indulgent (unless all I’m doing is having fun). Fun is not a distraction from a meaningful life.
Fun is part of a meaningful life. It’s a Life Pillar.
It keeps you open. It keeps you curious. It keeps you human.
And in a world that constantly demands more, choosing joy is one of the most radical, life‑affirming choices you can make.
CALL TO ACTION
If you’ve been running on responsibility, this is your invitation to stop, breathe, and have a little fun. What that looks like for each of us is different, but the key is to make fun a part of your lives. Fun isn’t frivolous—it’s fuel.
You deserve a life that feels good, not just one that looks productive. Start your Fun Pillar practice now. Your joy is calling—are you picking up?
Download the worksheet and explore what joy looks like in this season of your life. Ready to add a little sparkle back into your days? Begin your Fun Pillar journey here.
FRANCINE D. WARD, ESQ.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & ESTATE PLANNING LAWYER
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