Let's talk a bit about "fun."

What counts as fun for you these days?

As we age, our tendency is to shift from more risk-driven behaviors toward more of a "protect" mode, especially as we begin to accumulate things that are very important to us (career, family, assets, etc.). This is indeed a very good thing, but it leaves a lot of what may be deeply enlivening and energy-generating for us on the sidelines.

Enter: 3 different types of fun.

A key tool for re-enlivening our lives as we age is to challenge ourselves with the new & uncomfortable. Finding your particular sweet spot is an ongoing process; the place where things are both fun AND challenging is a constantly moving target that's unique to each of us.

Here's a handy guide to the types of fun you can use to skillfully stretch yourself --

Type 1 Fun: Anything that's just plain, honest-to-goodness fun. Think rope swings, water slides, laughing with your friends & family. All the stuff that makes you say, "Whee! This is fun!" (most especially out-loud). Type 1 fun is great, but doesn't necessarily stretch your abilities.
Type 2 Fun: Anything that's fun in retrospect. You may not have been stoked in the moment, but afterwards you're really glad you did it. Type 2 fun is a stretch -- imagine a grueling uphill slog on a bike that sets you up for a great downhill cruise, and the satisfaction you feel later talking about it with someone over beers (or your beverage of choice!).
Type 3 Fun: Most definitely not fun. It sucks, it's probably a little dangerous, and you never want to do it again. The only "fun" part is telling the story later. (I talk a lot about experiences with Type 3 Fun in my “Stress Tests” blog.)

Want to stay sharp, adept, and enlivened as you age? Aim squarely at bringing more Type 2 fun into your life, every week.

Type 2 (and, of course, 3) fun may test your physical endurance, or perhaps your emotional bandwidth or limits. It might test your problem-solving capabilities, or your mental resolve.

Some examples to get your brain churning on what Type 2 fun might look like for you:

Learning a new language, or participating in a language exchange
Trying out public speaking, or improv classes
A challenging hike or bike ride, for distance or over difficult terrain
Going camping
Travel!
Having a challenging conversation -- setting a boundary, being honest with someone, etc.
Starting your own business

When Type 2 fun is really good, it's uncomfortable and tests your whole being -- mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Exposing yourself to more Type 2 fun increases your bandwidth for discomfort and risk, and begins to shift what actually counts as Type 1 fun for you. The upper bounds of what's possible for you get reset at a higher level.

Check this pic out. These are Incan ruins I encountered on a long & difficult hike day I had recently in Perú (turns out even some of the locals I mentioned them to weren't aware of them...cool!)

Finding these was the result of a very Type 2 fun day for me that began by literally crawling up (and later, down) a steep, eucalyptus tree-filled ravine. Then I had to scrap across a scrub- and cactus-lined hillside to yet another ascending ravine, where I quite literally stumbled across these ruins in a moment of thinking I was lost (and in some trouble) as the sun began to set.

4+ hours of up & down, at well over 10,000 feet in elevation!

This adventure was equal parts uncomfortable, thrilling, exhausting, and a little scary. And, I was deeply satisfied (and sore) when I got back to our AirBnb. It stretched me and enlivened me all at once. For me, this was a perfect Type 2 fun day.

(I will add that I've been doing stuff like that for most of my life, so don't set that example as your standard!)

So, start nudging yourself into more Type 2 fun spaces! See how it changes your mindset, your outlook & energy, and your confidence in yourself -- mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Three Types of Fun