Embracing the Power of Fun in Business: How Integrating Joy Can Transform Your Life
The Overlooked Ingredient: Fun in Business
In the whirlwind of entrepreneurship, fun often gets buried beneath to-do lists, deadlines, and endless hustle. But what if we told you that fun isn’t just a luxury? It’s a critical ingredient for sustainable success and personal fulfillment. Andrea Parker, an acclaimed speaker and conscious leadership coach, joined Amy on a recent episode of The Motivated CEO Podcast to discuss why and how integrating fun into our business lives can transform us in ways we never imagined.
Why Business Owners Forget to Have Fun
The concept of fun may seem childish or unprofessional to the seasoned entrepreneur. Andrea delves into the "why" behind this phenomenon, identifying societal and subconscious pressures that prioritize productivity over joy.
“We’re often driven by shoulds and obligations, thinking that pushing harder and working longer is the only pathway to success,” Andrea explains. “But this old paradigm is slowly shifting as more business owners realize that integrating fun isn't just hypothetical—it’s essential for a thriving business and lifestyle.”
Andrea Parker’s Personal Journey: From Hustle to Harmony
For Andrea, fun was intrinsic during childhood but took a backseat as she grew older and embraced the roles of people-pleaser, overachiever, and perfectionist. Reflecting on a career transition from being a police detective to a conscious leadership coach, Andrea describes her initial struggle to shake off old habits of constant hustle even after building a dream life with her wife.
Despite living by a lake and running a successful coaching business, Andrea felt guilty for leaving work to enjoy simple pleasures like paddle boarding or hiking. This guilt underscored how deeply ingrained her hustle mentality was. “We crafted a life centered around fun,” Andrea shares, “but still operated within old frameworks that tethered us to our screens and workloads.”
The Turning Point: Understanding It’s Safe to Have Fun
The breakthrough came with a critical mindset shift: realizing it’s safe to have fun. Andrea and her wife declared a "Summer of Fun," prioritizing joy and working less. The results were remarkable. Not only did they experience a renewed sense of happiness and fulfillment, but they also attracted dream clients and increased their income.
As Andrea emphasized, the critical factor was aligning their subconscious beliefs with their desires. “You won’t create what you want; you create what you believe,” she quotes Dr. Lee Janelle, underscoring the importance of reprogramming our subconscious to see fun as a safe and beneficial choice.
Practical Steps: How to Integrate Fun into Your Business
Andrea provides actionable steps to help business owners reintroduce fun into their routines:
1. Slow Down Intentionally: Start by slowing down your pace, even if it feels uncomfortable. This allows space for joy to enter.
2. Savor Small Moments: Like Andrea and Amy, enjoy simple joys such as savoring a cup of coffee or taking a walk.
3. Ask Yourself What Would Be Fun: Reframe tasks and responsibilities by asking how you can make them enjoyable.
4. Release Blocks: Work on identifying and releasing subconscious blocks that equate fun with guilt or irresponsibility.
5. Embrace Community: Discuss and explore this journey with others. Andrea encourages sharing experiences and learning collectively.
The Ripple Effect: Fun as a Business Strategy
Adopting a fun-centric approach creates a ripple effect. Andrea’s client, who was on the brink of a breakthrough but chained by old business paradigms, learned through a near-tragic yet enlightening incident to release her subconscious blocks. This shift not only enhanced her well-being but also her business's sustainability.
Amy shares her personal experience of releasing the relentless need to rush post-launching her book. By choosing to savor her achievements and slow down, she found unexpected opportunities blossoming.
Conclusion: The Courage to Choose Fun
Andrea asserts that integrating fun into your business model isn't just a whimsical idea—it’s a sustainable practice grounded in both spiritual and scientific principles. By recalibrating our subconscious and allowing ourselves to breathe and enjoy life, we align ourselves with higher vibrations, opening doors to opportunities that relentless hustle could never unlock.
Episode Links
Connect with Andrea on Instagram @andreaparkercoaching
Download your FREE 7 Day Fun Journal here.
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Transcript for Episode 329. Let’s Talk about The F Word
Amy [00:00:02]:
Today we are talking about the f word. And no, it's not what you may be thinking when you first hear the f word. Today's f word is fun. Having fun in our businesses, in our lives. It's something that feels very foreign to many of us because we're stuck in the hustle and grind. But today's guest, Andrea Parker, she is a speaker, a conscious leadership coach, and she is here to share with us not only why this is so important as a business owner, to integrate into your business, into your life, but how to go about doing it. Because when you've been stuck in the hustle and grind, it can be hard to do. So I would love to welcome in, Andrea, welcome to the podcast today.
Andrea [00:00:56]:
I'm so grateful to be here. And I was laughing when you said we were going to talk about the f word because you didn't know this, but that's actually the name of my talk. Yeah, it's the f word. How to have fun in life and business.
Amy [00:01:10]:
Oh, my gosh, I love it. And I am so pumped to dive into this. So why is business owners, do we forget to have fun? Where does that stem from?
Andrea [00:01:22]:
It's so. It's so fascinating because that is a question that I've been asking myself for, like, eons now. But it's like, what would make this more fun? And then why aren't we having fun? And for many of us, myself included, I think it's a lot of the shoulds, the obligation, but it's a lot of the things we need to do in order to do the things we want to do. And I think for us, really, it's this. I really believe we're in this cool place this time, where we're shifting. We're almost flipping the paradigm back to fun. So there's so many different reasons why for, for many of us. But I really do think that it's just about bringing back what is it? What is fun for you? What, what would make your business more fun and maybe thinking things being things that we never thought that we could be in our business.
Amy [00:02:20]:
Yeah. Now, have you personally experienced this, where you've gone through a season of business where you're just in hustle mode and you've forgotten to have fun? Like, where did this whole movement have more fun and integrate fun into your business? Where did this start from?
Andrea [00:02:38]:
Yeah. It's so interesting because even as a kid, like, I was that kid that was so happy. I loved playing. I loved games. Like, fun was my superpower. And then as I got older. I started to become, well, I'm going to become the people pleaser, the overachiever, the perfectionist. And for me, that, yeah, it's like, that was natural then, and it definitely went into my career.
Andrea [00:03:01]:
So I know you were mentioning before this that you had your nine to five, so I was a police detective before I went into business. And then I was like, I want more fun. I want a lifestyle. That was the dream. And my wife and I, we did that. Like, we're like, let's truly create a life that we love. So we transitioned our careers. We created our dream business.
Andrea [00:03:21]:
We moved to the lake. We essentially created this. This life where it was all centered around fun. And then, yet I was still doing it the old way. It's like, Mel would like, it's beautiful out. Do you want to go for a paddle board? Do you want to go for a hike? And I felt so guilty, so anxious for leaving my computer. It's like, what if I leave my computer? What if I go slow? What if I actually do the things that I want to be doing on a Wednesday when I feel like I should be working? For me, that was kind of my line in the sand, so to speak. It's like, we really were intentional about the life we wanted to live, and yet we hadn't shifted inwardly how we approach our life and how we experience it, really.
Andrea [00:04:07]:
So we started to ask questions, and the question really became, what would make this more fun? So that is what started the movement. And I would say, since doing that, like, we took the summer off and we really. We leaned in, we're like, it is the summer of fun. And from doing that, it led us to making more money while working less, while actually prioritizing the things that we loved, feeling safe, going a little bit slower. And as we started to do that, like, dream clients, they started to notice us, and they're like, can you help me have fun? We're like, absolutely. And then we're getting paid to have fun, to do the things that we loved. And it just kept becoming this. It really was this movement of, okay, we actually can do it in a way that isn't just, like, a fun from my head, well, I should do this because it's fun, but it's like an embodiment of what would truly be enjoyable.
Andrea [00:05:00]:
And then even last year, I would say, this is why it's always an evolution. Last year, we closed our coaching business. So we had a coaching business since 2017, and it was successful. We had great humans. We coached, like, influential leaders around the world. And yet it still wasn't that fun. And it wasn't that fun because I think we were. We were really leaning towards this new way where we want to co create more.
Andrea [00:05:25]:
We want to be able to, like, enjoy, take all the learnings that we did and then infuse it through experiences. So that's when we really leaned into fun and realized that is actually for us, how we help people with the embodiment of the shifts that they. They know intellectually, but they haven't yet integrated in their being.
Amy [00:05:47]:
Yeah. It's something that really stood out in everything that you just said to me. You finally gave yourself the permission to feel safe, to have fun. And that right there, in my opinion, is a huge turning point. We don't feel safe to have fun. We're so attached to the hustle and grind. How were you able to really lean into that, to give yourself permission? Because there's a lot of resistance that comes up for a lot of people. I've personally experienced that myself where, you know, it's like, oh, gosh, just like you said, you feel that guilt.
Amy [00:06:29]:
How did you go about working through that to fully give yourself permission?
Andrea [00:06:34]:
It's true. And one of our mentors, so Doctor Lee, Janelle, that was something she always said to us, you won't create what you want. You create what you believe. I was like, that stuck with me. So you won't create what you want, you create what you believe. And for so long, we believed subconsciously that it wasn't safe for us to have fun, that it feels safer for our nervous system, for our subconscious if we're pushing more, if we're working more, if we're hustling more. And it makes sense until a certain point. And I think for us, we are at this crossroads, so to speak.
Andrea [00:07:07]:
We're like, this is no longer serving us. This is just an unconscious pattern that's just ruling us at this point. And we also knew that when we truly were in our hearts, when we're truly enjoying, things happen for us that otherwise wouldn't happen. We're in a different frequency, we're in a higher vibration now. We're creators instead of just reacting to life. So part of it is this is the stuff we teach people. Like, we're trained and certified in the subconscious. We're also really big into human behavior, spiritual science, subconscious mind, all the things.
Andrea [00:07:39]:
So it was really, we knew this stuff, but yet we hadn't yet done it. So really what it came down to is actually taking ourselves through the process and it was uncomfortable because the process is slow down. So go slower than you feel comfortable going. So, yes, we released the blocks, but sometimes, some days we would just be like, even today, today we did it. We're like, okay, we have to go slower than we feel comfortably going. We're like, we're just going to be like, let's go slow. And then as we did that, we started to connect with our joy again. Like, prioritize what are the things that truly bring us joy? And it could be simple.
Andrea [00:08:21]:
It's like, I'm going to savor my coffee or we're going to go for a walk. We're going to like, we love being by the water, so usually something on the lake. And then from there I found the more we were playing, the more we were in our heart, the more free we felt to actually share our essence. Like, things started to happen and we started to shift. So it was very subtle, actually, from these old patterns, these old hustle urgency. Go, go, go to. Okay, we're going to feel a little uncomfortable at first. We're going to go slower.
Andrea [00:08:56]:
And then as the blocks pop up, so as the resistance popped up, we would release it. Like, one of the stories I share often was one of my clients. So she came to me because she's like, I know I'm on the verge of something big. Like, this is my seven figure year, but my impact year. She's like, I also know that the way I go about growing my business isn't good for me. It's not sustainable and it's built on forcing and pushing and all the old ways of doing business. So she wanted to go slower, but she also knew. She's like, it's not safe for me to go slow because I have all these beliefs that it's not safe.
Andrea [00:09:29]:
And we had her up, so she was speaking at an event. I was speaking at an event. We're like, let's just have her up because she was going to be in the same area as us. And we went for a walk and it was winter, it was February, and it's beautiful. And we're walking and all of a sudden I look over and she had fallen through the ice and I'm like, holy shit. So I pull her up, I drag her out, bring her back, and there was like, the ice is solid. There's like 2ft of ice. Like, it's solid.
Andrea [00:09:55]:
Three people had walked in that same spot moments before, didn't fall in. And she looked at me and she's like, I know I have a block. She's like, this is totally why it's not safe for me to be having fun on a Wednesday when I should be working. And it really comes back down to, like, you won't create what you want. You create what you believe. So for her, it was the same thing. We just helped her. I went in, I did a block on her, so I helped her release that old story, that old pattern.
Andrea [00:10:23]:
And then I think, like, releasing is great, but then you have to consciously create new patterns. And for her, it was the same thing, going slow, prioritizing the things that she wants. And. And that can be so counterintuitive for driven humans that it's like, this makes no sense. It's almost like crazy backwards land. Like, the things that you think you need to be doing are actually the complete opposite to what's actually going to move your life and business forward.
Amy [00:10:52]:
Yeah, it does. And it takes practice. It takes that intentionality, because the thing is we get to choose and we forget that we have the choice. But anytime you go to change your behaviors, it's not going to feel good. Initially, it feels very counterintuitive because your brain's seeking comfort. So then that logical, like, prefrontal cortex kicks in and it's like, well, no, no, no. We got to do. We got to do.
Amy [00:11:19]:
So making the choice to consciously slow down, that right there is powerful. It's a powerful shift. And, yeah, I went through this again this past year where, you know, I released a book and I had everybody saying, what's next? What's next? What's next? It's like I'm choosing to slow down. I'm going to savor this. I'm going to embrace this. And that was hard because that was a very intentional sprint. That was a season of hustle for me. But then I gave myself permission to, you know what? I'm going to slow down.
Amy [00:11:57]:
I'm going to tune back into me and see what feels good for me. And it is crazy, the opportunities that have popped up. So if you are listening to this and going, yeah, that's great, but I get it. I hear you. I see you. I was you. But what if we make the choice to give ourselves permission and do exactly what Andrea is saying and lean in into? But what if I could have more fun? What would that look like? And that right there, I love what you said. That one quote that you said really sticks with me.
Amy [00:12:34]:
You won't create what you want. You create what you believe. And that is powerful. That statement right there. Like, if you take nothing else away from this episode. Write that down, and really take the time to journal on it, think it through, reflect on what that means to you, because you have the choice. You have the choice to make a change. And I even put a post up on social media this morning.
Amy [00:13:02]:
Like, Mondays. I used to dread them. I hated Mondays. My husband was at work by 07:00 in the morning. Then it was me with the kids, trying to get them ready to get them on the bus so that I could get out the door and get to work. Like, it was just chaos. And this morning, I sat out there with my coffee, listening to the birds. And it's like, it wasn't easy to make this choice because logically, my brain was trying to keep me safe.
Amy [00:13:31]:
But I made the choice and leaned into it, detached from the outcome, and said, okay, you know what? I'm gonna give myself permission. I'm gonna give myself permission to do this. It feels so good. It's so good.
Andrea [00:13:44]:
I love that you did that. And it's. It's so true. It's like, we have a million things we could be doing in the morning.
Amy [00:13:49]:
Yeah.
Andrea [00:13:50]:
And by actually, like, tuning in, listening, like, what? What would be fun? And sometimes it's like, at first, it's. You might not even know. I think a lot of people, even me, for the longest time, hard time admitting, like, what would be fun, right?
Amy [00:14:06]:
Most people can't answer that.
Andrea [00:14:08]:
And there's a ton of resistance around it, because what if we admit it and then we can't have it? And then. Or what if I do have that? And I think a lot of it is still coming from a head. Like, what should I be doing to have fun? And I think it's more of. If we think of it as a feeling, but what would feel? And not like, a superficial fun, but, like, a true. Like.
Amy [00:14:30]:
Yeah.
Andrea [00:14:30]:
Like, I can picture you. You're sitting there in the morning, it's like this delicious coffee. It's like deliciousness. Just enlist in your life with an experience. And I really do believe, as you do, that now you're in a different energy. So now you're in inspiration. Now you're more connected. Now you're going to be making decisions from a whole new vibrational energy than you would be from.
Andrea [00:14:54]:
I need to do this and this and this and this. And I think that's where the magic happens. Like, it does take some courage and some practice to do it, but the more you do it like that, I think that's savoring the deliciousness of life. Really?
Amy [00:15:09]:
Yeah, it is. Because we're so wrapped up in all of these shoulds last summer. Here's a crazy story. I actually gave up coffee because everybody's like, you know, caffeine's bad for you. You should do this. You should do that. I'm like, okay, I'm going to drink more water. I'm going to try this out.
Amy [00:15:26]:
I'll give it a month. I'll see how it goes. I felt like I robbed myself of my daily cup of joy. I'm like, you know what? Screw y'all. Like, this works for me. This brings me happiness and joy. So what we should do is start giving ourselves the permission to just live and enjoy and embrace, because nothing is guaranteed in this world. And it's so funny you say that.
Andrea [00:15:52]:
Because I did the exact same thing probably around the same time. It's like, you know what? I like joy. I gotta have my coffee.
Amy [00:15:59]:
I am a more joyful person when I have that cup of coffee. And I really didn't notice a difference in how I felt physically. But emotionally, I was kind of like, withdraw. Like, I'm sad. No, I want my daily cup of joy. I want to listen to the birds with my coffee.
Andrea [00:16:16]:
I love that.
Amy [00:16:18]:
Oh, my gosh. This was such a great conversation, Andrea. Thank you for helping just shed some light on this awareness, because I think a lot of times we don't even realize that we have these self, these subconscious patterns and these thoughts. So now we're aware. So with the information you gained in this episode, start to lean in. You can make today your day one, your chance to start living a life that you love. Start integrating fun. Integrate more fun into your world.
Amy [00:16:56]:
It's not a dirty f word. No, no. It is meant to be lived. So go out there and have some fun. Andrea, how can we get into your world and learn more about you?
Andrea [00:17:08]:
Yeah, absolutely. So easiest probably, is through Instagram. So Andrea Parker coaching. We are. I have Andrea Parker coaching for my website as well. But we also have fun experience. So all of that is linked in through my Instagram. I also, you mentioned day one.
Andrea [00:17:26]:
It's like, I was like, this could be helpful. I have a gift. It's a seven day journal, totally free. There's no, there's no funnel even around it. It is just truly a gift. But it really is to embody this new way, this whole new paradigm where we can start embodying fun in our day. So that's on my Instagram link as well. It's just a seven day fun journal.
Andrea [00:17:49]:
And yes, I would love, like, even message me, reach out to me. I love conversations like, it really can just be as easy as so grateful. Maybe this resonated or I have a question. Like, relationship really is, I think, the core at what we do and why we're doing what we do.
Amy [00:18:06]:
Yes. I love it. Go download your free journal. And until next time, cheers to making the money you want so you can create the impact you desire.
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