Are you missing the “FUN gene?”

Do you ever think, am I fun? And feel a tiny wave of panic roll in? Last week, I met a smart, bold, passionate, wildly driven woman. We were chatting about our businesses and getting to know each other’s passions. She has a podcast I’ve been listening to called Strong Like a Girl, and I was curious about how women are defining strength these days. Her personality was serious. She took her work seriously. And she talked very seriously. When I started talking about my podcast—learning all things how to have more fun—she got even more serious. She said, “I don’t even know if I’m fun anymore.” Then followed with, “I actually don’t think I am fun.” And in that serious tone, there was a little bit of worry sprinkled in. This stopped me cold in my tracks—the loss-of-words kind (and you know, for me, that’s rare). I assured her that fun is fully retrainable and not to worry. I got you. ❤️ But I could still see her brow furrowing as she quietly contemplated her “no-fun zone.” We talked about how not being fun could happen to a person. Was it life? Was it biology? Was it a mix of both? That conversation got me thinking: Is there a “fun gene” we’re biologically born with—or, by some life lottery, aren’t born with? Like the happiness gene? Positive psychology researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky—often referenced through the “happiness pie” suggest: ~40% of happiness is influenced by genetics ~10% by life circumstances ~50% by intentional activities and habits So naturally, I went looking for the data on a fun gene. And here’s what the research actually shows: There is no single “fun gene.” But there is a biological play system wired into every human nervous system. Unlike happiness—which research suggests is partly genetically set—fun is primarily behavior-based and highly trainable at any age. Play and fun activate the brain’s reward, bonding, and stress-regulation systems (dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins), creating immediate shifts in mood, connection, and energy (I am actually fist bumping you right now).  👊 You don’t need to be born “fun-wired” to experience it. You just need to practice it. And if happiness is partly genetic and partly circumstantial… fun becomes the best tool we have (more fist bumping).  Which means: You don’t need the right personality You don’t need the right life You don’t need perfect conditions You just need to start building that fun muscle—using the small, doable fun habits I’ve been throwing your way. A new fun habit I’ve been practicing lately… I’ve been trying oh so hard to stick to a low-spend January and February after the holidays. I have been treating Saturday (or whatever day you get off) like a holiday.  A low-to-no-cost holiday. No work. No chores. No errands. No responsibilities. Just a fun, playful, holiday-style day. I look forward to planning it all week. I aim to do something a little out of the ordinary. The day is filled with my kind of fun. And by Sunday, I’m floating in my après-holiday high (minus the tan). This Saturday Holiday Play Day habit? It’s sticking. I’ll leave you with this: even if you’ve ignored fun for days, months, or years… fun is loyal. It’s always waiting for you. Yours in fun spirit, Treena x Ps. If you or someone you know needs help finding more fun in their lives, book me a call to see if my Fun Formula Program teaching fun habits can work for you. *************************************************************************** RECENTLY ON THE FINDING FUN EXPERIMENT PODCAST:Learn why you need to STOP saving your life for later. So many adults are quietly saving their joy, fun, and aliveness for “someday”…  After the kids grow up. After work slows down. After the next milestone. In this Laugh to Death episode, I sit down with mortality mindset expert Jodi Wellman for a powerful, funny, and perspective-shifting conversation on why waiting to live is one of the biggest traps of adulthood. LISTEN HERE

Helping people and organizations build fun habits in their lives or workplaces to improve wellness, passion and performance.  www.minddoodles.ca  treena@minddoodles.ca    I   778.885.5750