One of my secret goals this year is to learn how to have healthy fun! Fun is a skillset—it’s something I’ve wanted but struggled to prioritize. As I focused on this, I realized that many ways we prioritize fun can be unhealthy and self-sabotaging.
So, a small group of friends and I decided to incorporate practicing healthy fun into our gatherings. This month, we chose Axe Throwing. It’s not something I would naturally choose or think I’m good at, but in the spirit of experimenting with healthy fun, I decided to fully commit.
We went to Durham Axe Throwing, where Coach Z provided safety training and taught us how to throw axes. She gave us feedback to help us improve. About halfway through the evening, she pointed out that I wasn’t focusing on the target, but rather just throwing. Initially, I felt annoyed because I thought I was doing what she instructed. But, as it turned out, my focus was on hitting the target in my mind rather than the physical target itself. Making that subtle shift in focus made all the difference. Once I started concentrating on the actual target, not just the idea of hitting it, I began hitting it more consistently.
This was a pivotal moment for me. I’m 18 months into a strategic season of healing trauma in my body effectively. This clarity marks a culmination of healing that allows me to be more present in and with my body than ever before.
For decades, I found safety in the playground of my mind because the “real world” didn’t feel emotionally safe. Now, as I engage with the “real world” in a new way, I’m seeing new results. Instead of reading about being a great parent, I’m actively being one. Instead of studying how to write, I’m writing. The transition is underway, and I’m excited to see how it continues to unfold.
