Remember when laughter came easily and play wasn't something you had to schedule? Life has a knack for piling on responsibilities. Suddenly fun feels like a luxury we can't afford or maybe even something we've forgotten how to do. I understand. There were times in my own journey where joy felt distant buried under daily pressures. Here at GoodExistence.com our founder Stephen Montagne often shares his story. He navigated challenges like overcoming unhealthy habits and losing over 110 pounds. A huge part of his transformation was rediscovering what truly brought him joy not just enduring the process. It was about reclaiming life itself.
We all need reminders to lighten up to seek out delight and to simply enjoy the ride. Sometimes a few powerful words can spark that shift in perspective.
Why Fun Can Feel So Far Away
It’s easy to get caught in the current of adulting. Work bills obligations. These things are real. They demand our attention. But when they completely overshadow our need for joy and play life can start to feel heavy. Really heavy.
Stephen often talks about how his past struggles with things like binge eating and excessive gaming were partly a misguided search for pleasure. Those habits offered fleeting highs but ultimately stole genuine happiness and left him feeling empty. True enjoyment comes from a different place. It’s about connection presence and meaningful engagement. It's not about escaping life but about diving into it with open arms.
Sometimes we think we don't deserve fun until all our work is done. Or we feel guilty for taking time for ourselves. Let’s challenge those thoughts. Fun is not a reward you earn after hard work. Fun is fuel. It’s essential for your well-being. It makes you better at everything else you do.
30 Quotes to Reawaken Your Joyful Spirit
Let these words be little nudges friendly whispers reminding you of the importance of fun and enjoyment.
- “The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.” – Audrey Hepburn
- “Do anything but let it produce joy.” – Walt Whitman
- “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller
- “Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” – Emily Dickinson
- “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful to be honorable to be compassionate to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (Note: Living well includes joy!)
- “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw
- “Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault
- “The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.” – Marcus Aurelius (And sometimes wrestling can be fun!)
- “Fun is closely related to Joy – a sort of emotional froth arising from the play of instinct.” – C.S. Lewis
- “Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” – Dr. Seuss
- “If you’re not having fun you’re doing something wrong.” – Groucho Marx
- “Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” – Michael Jordan
- “The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.” – Richard Bach
- “Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.” – Mallory Hopkins
- “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius (Finding fun in your work is key!)
- “In every job that must be done there is an element of fun. You find the fun and snap! The job’s a game.” – Mary Poppins
- “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” – Roald Dahl
- “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.” – Victor Hugo (And love brings great joy!)
- “You can’t be serious all the time. You need to have fun.” – Kourtney Kardashian
- “There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it.” – Mary Wilson Little
- “Even if you’re on the right track you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers (So get moving and have some fun on the way!)
- “My theory is that if you look confident you can pull off anything – even if you have no clue what you’re doing.” – Jessica Alba (Confidence lets you try new fun things!)
- “The healthiest response to life is joy.” – Deepak Chopra
- “Do what makes you happy be with who makes you smile laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.” – Rachel Ann Nunes
- “Life is to be enjoyed not just endured.” – Gordon B. Hinckley
- “The fun never sets in the GoodExistence.com community!” – Okay I made that one up but we try!
- “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
- “Live and work but do not forget to play to have fun in life and really enjoy it.” – Eileen Caddy
- “If it’s not fun why do it?” – Ben & Jerry (of ice cream fame!)
- “The real joy in life comes from finding your true purpose and aligning it with what you do every single day.” – Tony Robbins
Making Space for Fun in Your Everyday Life
Reading inspiring quotes is a great start. But how do we actually bring more fun into our daily lives? It’s not always about grand adventures. Often it’s about appreciating and creating small moments of joy.
Find Your Kind of Fun
What did you love doing as a kid? Drawing building things singing exploring? Sometimes our adult selves forget those simple pleasures. Revisit them. Not everything needs to be 'productive' in the traditional sense. Stephen often shares that when he was breaking free from habits like excessive gaming he had to consciously discover new healthy activities to fill that space. It wasn't just about stopping the old. It was about starting something new and genuinely enjoyable.
Schedule Joy if You Must
This might sound a bit formal but if your life is packed scheduling fun can really help. Pencil in "an hour of reading for pleasure" or "a walk in nature" on your calendar. Treat it like an important appointment because it is. Stephen’s approach to a productive routine with short focused bursts of deep work (usually 2-4 hours) actually helps create this space. By being efficient and focused during work hours he carves out genuine free time without lingering stress.
Celebrate Every Little Victory
This is so important. Stephen attributes much of his success in losing over 110 pounds and building a sustainable healthy lifestyle to celebrating small wins. Did you choose a healthy meal? Did you take the stairs? Did you complete a small task you'd been avoiding? Acknowledge it. Give yourself a mental pat on the back. These little bursts of self-appreciation build positive momentum and make the journey itself more joyful.
Move Your Body Joyfully
Exercise shouldn't feel like a punishment. Find a way to move that you genuinely look forward to or at least don't dread. Maybe it's dancing in your kitchen playing a sport with friends or taking a refreshing hike. When movement becomes a source of pleasure instead of a chore it’s much easier to make it a regular part of your life. This was a significant part of Stephen finding a balanced lifestyle he could truly enjoy after his weight loss.
Practice Daily Gratitude
Focusing on what you’re thankful for is a powerful and simple way to boost your mood and overall happiness. Stephen makes daily gratitude a cornerstone of his routine. It helps him see and appreciate the good in every day even the ordinary or challenging ones. This simple practice can profoundly shift your perspective toward more joy.
Connect Authentically
Meaningful connections with others are a deep well of happiness. Make time for friends family or your community. Shared laughter support and understanding make life richer and more enjoyable. In our increasingly digital world real human connection is more valuable than ever.
Faith and Deeper Joy
For many people including Stephen faith can be a profound source of lasting joy and purpose. His journey of strengthening his Christian Orthodox faith brought him a sense of peace resilience and an underlying current of joy that isn’t easily shaken by circumstances. Connecting with something larger than yourself can offer a unique and sustaining kind of happiness.
Life is a precious gift. It’s meant to be lived fully with all its ups and downs. Fun isn’t a frivolous add-on. It’s an essential ingredient for a well-lived life. It refuels your spirit renews your mind and makes the entire journey more worthwhile.
So I’ll ask you: What’s one small thing you can do today to invite a little more fun into your life? Perhaps it’s putting on your favorite song and dancing for five minutes. Maybe it’s calling an old friend just to laugh about silly memories. Don't wait for the 'perfect' moment or for all your tasks to be done. Create a little pocket of joy right now. You deserve it.
