Go Fly a Kite!
by Marije Miller

Originally published on Marketing-Seek.com, June 14, 2002

Done anything fun, lately? The past few days I've been walking around in a stressed daze: busy, busy, busy. Sound familiar? I'd been struggling a little with a segment of a personal coach training I'm developing. As I was throwing ideas back and forth, I heard my daughter's laugh outside. It was a beautiful sunny day, with just enough wind to make things comfortable. The joyful sound made me realize I had been up in my office for a number of hours and this was a great moment to take a little break. As I stepped outside, I saw this brightly colored kite lying on the porch. My daughters had been playing with it and now it lay forgotten on the side. With a chuckle I picked it up and for the next hour I heard my youngest girl scream in delight as she saw me running back and forth with the fluorescent yellow and pink kite hovering above me. I wasn't able to get the darn thing up long, but for those few seconds each run my hope would fly up with it, until the kite came crashing down again. Not my hope, though! At the end of my break I found myself in much better spirit and was able to be truly productive when I came back in my office.That is what fun does to a person: it brings relaxation, joy, happiness and yes, it helps you be more productive. When you do something you enjoy, you are more willing to spend time and energy to improve your skills and knowledge on the subject. You become more productive and a happier person because of it! As a personal coach I know how very important fun is in your daily life.

Case in point: Jim was working as a consultant in a computer company when we started our conversations. He spoke in a soft tone, rather low and his overall responses were somewhat restrictive: lots of 'I can't' came up in his language. He said he really liked the company he worked for, but didn't feel this position fully utilized his abilities. We were talking about sales when I suddenly went off the subject. "Jim," I asked: "Can you give me some examples of things that you enjoy doing?" It was dead silent for a moment and then he responded with: 'I don't know, I guess that's a problem, huh?' After a little prodding, he came up with something that really made his juices flow: travel! By now, his demeanor was a lot more energetic: his voice had risen, the tempo of his speech had picked up: all are ways for a coach to feel that we're on the right track. By the time we talked again, two weeks later, he was a different person.

Jim's voice was strong, full of humor and this is what he told me: 'I really had no idea where you wanted to go with this. But at the end of our conversation I felt so motivated, I found a new position with the same company that actually allows me to travel between the US and the Caribbean!'

An incredible change for him, but one that makes him much happier and fulfilled. Now, what could knowing what you enjoy do for you? Adding some fun doesn't have to make such a tremendous change in your life. Often, a little will go a long way. For instance, when you find yourself struggling with a certain issue you can't seem to solve, just literally playing with something else can help the answer come up.

So, go to a toy store: there are some really great ones here in town. Check out the toys, the colors and textures. Do you feel that little tickle in your stomach? Are your eyes widening? Which item can you see yourself spend some time with at your desk, in your car or at home? Now: buy yourself that little Tonka truck or some crayons and a coloring book. What I'd like for you to do is to play with it a few times this week. Notice how you feel before and after. Are you getting any other fun ideas? What are they? How can you incorporate these fun things in a bigger way into your life? Think about this: the same skills you use while playing can also be used in your career. Sounds like fun. As for me, I'm going to find myself a bigger kite!

Marije Miller is a Personal and Professional Coach. She has been on radio and has been interviewed and published on the Internet. Marije can be reached at (530) 274-7568 or coach@yourgreatestlife.com. You can visit her web site at www.yourgreatestlife.com

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