Do You Remember How To Have Fun?

Let’s face it, it was kind of like Hunger Games for Toilet Paper

In the last couple of months, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about “the before times.” It feels like a weird dystopian novel to be coming out of a long pandemic back into the sunshine again. I watch people trying to figure out how to be social — what the rules are, and yet, there within this apprehension is a bubbling joy. We’re ready. Beyond ready. This is the time in the novel when we get to build the new world together.

But here’s the big question. What. Do. We. Do?

If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that getting out of our routine isn’t all that bad. Think of some of the good things that came out of the pandemic — curbside delivery? Hello? Can we please keep that? Working in sweatpants? Definitely. Can we get rid of ties already? Actually understanding work/life balance? Big yes.

So as we move out of our bunkers and into this big, bright, sunshiny world, we have a big chance to hold on to the good disruptions and let go of the routines that we had fallen into without even realizing it. In short, it’s time to spice things up.

1. Do the thing you missed most.

Remember all of the things that you said you missed during quarantine? For me, it was live music. That was the big one. Put that on your list first. Quiet down that negative voice in your head. Mine (her name is Debbie, btw) says The Motley Crue, Def Leppard, and Poison concert is stupid expensive. I should save that money for something else. But guys, I’m here to tell you that we just survived a once in a lifetime pandemic. During that time you said this was the thing you missed the most. GO. DO. IT.

Lifehouse Concert, Nashville, 2017

The Famous Worlds Fair Donuts in St. Louis, MO

2. Go to your favorite restaurant. Once. Then find another one.

There I said it. We are lucky enough to live within walking distance of 75 restaurants and bars. We have a couple of favorites that we go to all the time. That means that roughly 70 of those are untouched. That’s a travesty. Get dressed up or go in sweats. Try something new. You’re not looking for just a good burger here. You’re looking for a great experience. You want to come away with “remember that time we had?” Maybe it was the best meal ever. Maybe it was hot dogs at a street cart and you put pineapple on it. (I did, and don’t recommend) It’s still a great memory.

3. Pick at least one new thing to do.

During the pandemic, a lot changed, and there’s a lot of really cool new things to explore. Check out an online cooking class or a fun new subscription box. Head to a repurposed drive-in for a concert and a movie. You can find lots of cool things to do on Eventbrite or Meetup. The best part is lots of them are free!

The One New Thing Box sends you new experiences each month

My grown kids, along with my nieces and nephew hanging at a local pub for dinner.

4. Get social!

During the pandemic, one of the hardest parts was being disconnected from the people that we care about. Now, we can be really intentional about our relationships and the things that we do. Make your time with your friends and family count. In our family, our motto is #makestories. My kids are adults now, and we have to intentionally plan time together in our busy schedules. But we still have game nights, road trips, and do trivia nights, among others. Our adventures don’t always go swimmingly, but we’ve learned to look for the story, not how well the adventure went. It tends to keep tempers in check and adds a lot more humor to whatever we’re doing

5. Take the pictures. Buy the souvenirs.

Trust me on this one. Stories are great, but memories fade. My friend Alison’s dad passed away when she was young. She’s only got one blurry picture of her with her dad when she was six. She’s taught me to not just take pictures, but to be in the pictures. Get someone to take that picture of your group. It’s no imposition, and most likely they will get a kick out of whatever you are doing. For 30 seconds, they are a part of your adventure, and that’s kind of cool.

That time when a Russian guy in Vegas asked us to join his selfie.

I know that social media gets a bad rap, but I’m also a big fan of sharing your adventures on Facebook and Instagram. To be fair, I also share my misadventures as well. I love to get ideas from other people about what they are doing. A lot of times I can incorporate those into my own adventures. New restaurants? Throw that out on Facebook and you’ll get a zillion responses. Want someone to go to that mushrooms expo with you? Throw it out there. One of your friends is bound to be interested.

It’s a whole new world out there, friends. Bright and shiny. I hear a lot of talk about “getting back to normal” and “the new normal.” I guess we have an opportunity for both. But I think we have an opportunity for a lot more. If we were normal before, why not be more now? For better or worse, we had a chance to hit pause and rethink normal. Do you really want to go back to that when there’s so much more waiting?