Summary — Try This Today: 6 Small Ways to Have More Fun Even When Life Feels Hard

Host: Mel Robbins

Overview

Mel Robbins argues that fun is not a luxury but a necessity for health, resilience, and happiness. She observes that modern life (and social media curation) has muted spontaneous human playfulness, increasing burnout and numbness. Drawing on research and personal stories, Mel offers six practical, bite-size habits you can start today to reintroduce joy, silliness, and connection into daily life.

Key points & main takeaways

• Fun matters: micro-moments of laughter, playfulness, and joy improve immune function, lower stress hormones, and increase resilience.
• Research highlights:
  • National Cancer Institute: regular laughter lowers stress hormones and boosts immune cells (natural killer cells, activated T cells).
  • Katherine Price (The Power of Fun): fun comprises three ingredients — playfulness, connection, and flow.
  • Dr. Judith Joseph: “points of joy” (small daily moments of fun) are essential; their absence contributes to burnout, numbness, and sadness, and they can be prescribed therapeutically.
• Fun is accessible — you don’t need big production; small changes and choices add up.
• Social permission matters: if you initiate fun and allow yourself to be imperfect, others will join and the energy spreads.

The Six Ways to Have More Fun (Mel’s Actionable Steps)

1. Wear the pink glasses — make one small, intentional fun change today

   • Examples: funky glasses or socks, crank your favorite song while doing chores, decorate your desk, bring a puzzle or cards to lunch.
   • Purpose: immediate, low-effort lift that activates playfulness and flow.

2. Say yes to fun

   • Stop declining invitations out of tiredness or perfectionism. Say “yes” to new experiences (do it “for the plot” — for the story you’ll later tell).

3. Be bad at it

   • Allow yourself to be awkward or inexperienced. Being “bad” removes pressure, increases laughter, and gives others permission to relax.

4. Be the driver of the fun bus (initiate)

   • Don’t wait for others. Start the wave, be first on the dance floor, host themed dinners or games, or assign yourself the role of “fun friend.”

5. Let them (stop caring what others think)

   • Accept judgment from the uptight/miserable and prioritize your own lightness. Most judgment says more about the judge than about you.

6. Stop saying you’re too old / too tired

   • Reclaim childlike activities: trampolines, costumes, backflip parties, colorful decor, karaoke, themed gatherings — any activity you’d have fun doing.

Notable quotes & insights

• “Fun isn't optional. Fun is how you feel alive again.”
• “Do it for the plot.” — a practical mindset to accept awkward or uncomfortable experiences for the amusing story they become.
• Katherine Price’s framework: fun = playfulness + connection + flow.
• Dr. Judith Joseph: small daily moments of joy are a clinical prescription for happiness and resilience; their absence contributes to burnout.

Topics discussed

• Cultural shifts toward curated behavior and why people feel less spontaneous
• Science of laughter and its physiological benefits
• Psychological research linking micro-moments of joy to reduced burnout and improved mental health
• Practical examples and personal anecdotes (Mel’s 1970s costume golf tournament, producer’s backflip birthday)
• Simple daily habit ideas and social strategies to make fun more likely

Action items & recommendations (practical, ready-to-apply)

• Today: pick one “pink glasses” change — wear one quirky item or play an upbeat song during a mundane task.
• This week:
  • Say “yes” to one event you might normally decline (class, outing, silly activity).
  • Invite a coworker for a walking lunch or bring a quick game/puzzle to the office.
  • Host a small themed dinner (costumes, decade, silly prompts).
• Ongoing:
  • Schedule 5–15 minutes daily as a “point of joy” (call a funny friend, dance, play a short game).
  • Adopt the role of “driver of fun” for one social situation monthly (weddings, meetings, family dinners).
  • Practice letting go of judgment: try an activity that scares you socially and note how others respond (they’ll often join or admire you).
• If you’re hesitant: use the “do it for the plot” mindset — imagine it as material for a great story.

Final note

Mel’s core message: small, intentional acts of playfulness and connection are powerful, research-backed tools to combat burnout and restore energy. You don’t need big events — start tiny, be willing to be imperfect, and take responsibility for bringing joy into your life and the lives of others.