Create a Fun Jar
In the M.A.P. concept (Meaning, Abundance, & Passion), abundance refers to multiple types of abundance, not just the financial variety. One of those is "fun abundance."
Want an easy way to work on improving your fun abundance quotient? Make a Fun Jar. You can read the original post for the full description of the idea, but here it is in a nutshell...
- Brainstorm a long list of things you would qualify as “fun”. It’s best to do this in a fresh notebook, because you’re going to want to come back to this list often, and add to it as inspiration strikes.
- Go through your list, and mark your items in terms of ease.
- Take all the easy items, write them out on small slips of paper, and put them into a jar. That’s right. You’re going to create a Fun Jar. Seriously.
- Every day, pick an item from your Fun Jar - and Do It. Remember, the Fun Jar contains only those fun things that are really easy to do.
- Exercise your fun muscles gradually. Your daily shots of small bits of fun, courtesy of your Fun Jar, are a good start, but you want to target the bigger items next.
Fun is out there, just waiting to be had. Yes, even for you! It's easy to lose sight of it. It's easy to get so busy that you fall prey to thinking you don't have time for fun. But that's a trap, and it's a slippery slope.
Part of the key to thriving, both in your career and in life in general, is developing habits that feed your well-being. The Fun Jar idea is a great way to begin developing a "fun habit" using an easy, doable approach.

Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst TM




Great post. Why do we as adults feel like out own enjoyment should come last...especially at this time of the year? No wonder the holiday season has become nothing but sheer stress and companies are actually hiring people to help teach employees how to have fun! The greatest gift we could give ourselves right now is a fun jar. I'm starting mine today.
Anita Bruzzese
www.45things.com
Posted by: Anita Bruzzese | December 19, 2007 at 10:28 AM
Excellent, Anita! Whee-ha!
Posted by: Curt Rosengren | December 20, 2007 at 07:37 PM
Oh my...THIS is great! I've been seeking to increase FUN in my life...this will put me in touch with what fun IS to me! Thank you!
I love the blog!
Posted by: Cheryl Finley | December 28, 2007 at 09:39 AM
Curt - This is a GREAT idea - and one I am going to implement with my family.
Thanks so much!
Kevin :)
Posted by: Kevin Eikenberry | December 31, 2007 at 10:07 AM
Hey Cheryl and Kevin! Excellent! Glad to hear it resonated with you.
Posted by: Curt Rosengren | January 05, 2008 at 11:54 AM