Many of us at Education Services have been reading the book Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: What Inuit Have Always Known to be True. In this book, we found a great quote about fun:
“Enjoyment is gained through regular gatherings, sharing of food, sharing of ideas, sharing of recreation. […] outdoor football games were popular and indoor drum dances a regular occurrence in order to share joyful, sad, appreciative and wonderful experiences through the lyrics of songs and for others to know about extraordinary things that were accomplished. Living in harmony with others was the most valuable thing, with or without a full stomach, a sufficient cache of food or perfect health.”
(Karetak, J., Tester, F., Tagalik, S., 2017).
Having fun and feeling joy is personal and every person will have different ways of having fun. Some may enjoy being artistic while others prefer doing something physical. Some may enjoy being indoors while others find pleasure being outdoors. What we find enjoyable might change as we age, or according to where we live. It might be different from what our friends enjoy doing. As long as we are honest with ourselves and are finding things that make US happy, we are on the right path to self-care. There are many benefits of having fun and enjoying ourselves, including reducing stress; it also lessens conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Learn more about the benefits of having fun, by reading these 2 articles: Having fun is good for you and Why is having fun seriously good for you.
Here are some other ideas for you to explore. We encourage you to find what makes you happy!
Make Time
Make time to be with people you love.
Have dinner with your family or call a friend. Is there someone that makes you laugh and smile whenever you see them? Set up a time to see them in-person or using Messenger or Zoom.
This kind of fun will not only help you maintain your relationships but will also provide motivation for you to have fun.
Listen Up
2019- 2020
Listening and making music has many benefits, including improving mood, reducing stress, lessening anxiety, providing comfort and improving memory.
After talking amongst ourselves about music, we decided that we wanted to introduce you to different Inuit artists with this book called: ᓀᓪᓕᑎᕐᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᐃᑦ ᐊᓕᐊᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᖕᖏᕈᓰᑦ (A Short Anthology of popular Nunavik songs) by Nelly Duvicq.
So, take time to listen to these songs or listen to your favorite music this week! You might want to relax and close your eyes or get up and shake! Either way, the goal is to have fun.
Read a Book
When was the last time you read a book, listened to a podcast or an audiobook for fun?
Reading has many benefits for you, including mental stimulation, stress reduction, gaining knowledge and concentration improvement. You can choose a book you’ve read in the past and absolutely loved, try a suggestion from a friend or find a new book that you’ve been wanting to read for some time now. You can find an old book on a shelf in your house or borrow books from the library. And, if you don’t have access to a library, what about trading books with friends? Anything goes!
We encourage you to try to make time to read (or listen to) at least one book this month.
Be Optimistic
Research has shown that there is a link between optimism and health. This research has shown that optimistic people have a longer lifespan and the reason why is quite simple: “optimistic people may be able to regulate emotions and behavior as well as bounce back from stressors and difficulties more effectively” (Kubzansky, 2019).
Some members of our team like to make a list of the three best things that happened to us or a list of things we’re grateful for each day. This practice helps us focus on the positive things that happen in our lives!
Enjoy Feelings of Accomplishment
Feeling accomplished is a big part of feeling good about ourselves, our abilities and being proud of what we do; let’s celebrate the little milestones! Celebrating these milestones, no matter how big or small they may be, will help boost our self-esteem, our confidence and our morale. Keep track of your accomplishments by doing a mental list of the productive things you’ve done that day. You deserve a pat on the back!
