Try It for 1 Week: 6 Small Ways to Bring Back the Happiness, Energy, and Fun

KEYPOINTS

• 01

  Adults have turned the volume down on fun

  Mel opens with a viral post by a writer and editor at The Hindu, India's national newspaper: people are 'tired, polite, curated,' couples eat in silence, friends scroll reels while drinks sweat, and everyone is 'emotionally on airplane mode,' trading personality for polish. The post ends, 'Bring back the chaos... bring back the fun.' That it came from halfway around the world suggests to Mel the shift is global.

• 02

  Fun is a necessity, not a luxury

  Mel acknowledges there are very real problems in the world, but argues fun energizes you, helps you connect, lowers stress and makes you healthier. Exhaustion makes fun feel like work, which is exactly why it gets dropped.

• 03

  Missing small moments of joy can contribute to burnout and numbness

  Mel cites double-board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Judith Joseph, known for research on high-functioning depression. Her work finds small daily moments of joy, silliness and laughter are essential for health and resilience, that happiness is built by increasing them, and that their absence can contribute to burnout, numbness and sadness. Joseph prescribes these 'points of joy' to patients.

• 04

  Laughter has measurable health effects

  Mel cites the National Cancer Institute: regular laughter strengthens the immune system by lowering stress hormones and increases natural killer cells and activated T cells. She flags laughter as a topic for a future expert episode.

• 05

  Fun has three ingredients: playfulness, connection and flow

  From Catherine Price's book The Power of Fun. Playfulness is not taking yourself too seriously, or as Mel's daughter Kendall says, 'Mom, it's not that deep.' Connection means fun usually involves others, even for introverts. Flow means you're so immersed that time disappears, along with worries about the past, anxiety about the future and your to-do list.

• 06

  Way 1: 'Wear the pink glasses' by making one small fun change

  Mel swaps her black frames for neon pink aviators on air. Fun needn't be a production: different socks, a funny story before a meeting, 70s disco, Motown or a live concert track while doing dishes, a lunchtime walk with coworkers, a crossword or cards, a funky desk plant, the joke you usually swallow, or the funniest thing from your weekend instead of 'not much.'

• 07

  Way 2: Say yes to fun, and 'do it for the plot'

  Stop skipping the comedy show because it's late, the company outing because socializing feels like work, or the cake. Say yes to the dance class or the cringy speed-dating night. If you're nervous, ask what the main character of a movie would do; even a bad night gives you a hilarious story.

• 08

  Way 3: Be bad at it

  The person crushing everyone at pickleball or nailing every note like Whitney Houston is chasing perfection, not having fun. Mel argues social media has made us terrified of looking stupid or ending up on an embarrassing TikTok page. Being bad removes pressure and gives others permission to laugh at themselves.

• 09

  Way 4: Drive the fun bus

  Stop waiting for someone else to throw the party or crack the joke. One person dancing at a mellow concert, starting the wave or hitting the empty wedding dance floor breaks the seal, because seeing others have fun makes us want to join. If going first isn't natural, assign yourself the role for the day; pretending quickly becomes real.

• 10

  Way 5: Let them judge you

  Fear of being cringe is why most of us don't have fun. Applying her Let Them Theory, Mel says people who judge you for dancing first or laughing loudly are probably miserable or uptight, so let them. Focus on 'let me': let me have fun because it matters for my health and happiness. Unapologetic people are the ones everyone wants to be around.

• 11

  Way 6: Stop saying you're too old

  Kids jump in foam pits, sing loudly, wear costumes and decorate in clashing colors; adults turn beige for Instagram. Mel's list: a quirky hobby, a crazy haircut, a theme dinner, bad karaoke, a hip-hop class, glitter or nail art. 'You're never going to be younger than you are right now.'