Podcast Summary: Building Resilience – “Creating More Fun in Your Life with Chris Rich”

Host: Leah Davidson
Guest: Chris Rich
Date: March 5, 2025
Episode: 220

Overview

In this engaging episode of Building Resilience, host Leah Davidson welcomes certified life coach Chris Rich to explore the theme of “creating more fun in your life.” The conversation dives deep into why fun is not just a luxury but essential for mental health and nervous system regulation. Both speakers share personal stories and practical ideas for infusing fun into everyday life, even amidst stress or challenging circumstances. Chris brings her trademark humor, playfulness, and practical tips, while Leah reflects on her own journey confronting barriers to fun due to nervous system states. The episode is rich with actionable advice, playful anecdotes, and compassionate insights for listeners seeking more joy, play, and connection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Fun Matters for Wellbeing

• Fun as a “Nervous System Reset”: Chris and Leah agree that fun is much more than frivolous—it is vital for stress relief, emotional wellness, and even physical health.
  • “Fun helps our mental and our physical health and it can definitely be a stress reliever.” – Chris (07:12)
  • “It allows us to access safety... invites in just a change in our nervous system state.” – Leah (08:35)
• Hormonal Benefits: Laughter and play reduce cortisol (stress hormone) and increase serotonin.
• Fun vs. Productivity: Leah shares how beliefs about productivity can make fun feel “frivolous or even dangerous,” especially for those stuck in high-alert states. (11:30–12:35)

2. Barriers to Having Fun

• The Safety Factor: Difficulty accessing fun often signals the nervous system does not feel safe.
  • “If you are not feeling safe, it’s going to be very hard to have fun.” – Chris (09:19)
• Hyperproductive & Survival States: For some, busyness and a sense of worth tied to productivity make rest and fun feel threatening.
• Buffering vs. Genuine Fun: Fun can become a buffer (i.e., avoidance strategy) if used to distract from emotions, rather than used intentionally for connection or joy.
  • “A buffer is something that we do so we don’t have to feel an emotion. And it has a net negative.” – Chris (13:35)
• Childhood Experiences: Difficult or restrictive childhoods make it harder for some to access their “inner child” or even know what fun looks like for them (23:00–24:00).

3. Fun-damentals: Chris’s 3 Buckets for More Fun

Chris introduces her “FUN-damentals” approach for bringing more play into life:

a. Look for Fun (19:00)

• See Through a Child’s Lens: Observe how children find joy; try to emulate spontaneous playfulness.
• Release Your Inner Child: Try jumping in puddles, skipping, dancing in rain, or jumping in leaves—even as an adult.
  • “I’m 51 years old, and one of my very favorite things to do is to jump in puddles.” – Chris (19:55)
• Creativity as Fun: Engage in doodling, crafts, playful videos, or playful cooking.
• Noticing Small Joys: Find “glimmers” in daily life, like smiley faces in clouds or fruit bowls, heart-shaped rocks, etc.
• Slow Down and Savor: Appreciate small, silly things and the feelings they bring.
• Memorable Quote:
  “Thou shalt not get too damn serious.” – Chris’s dad’s “11th Commandment” (24:50)

b. Create Fun (26:07)

• Ask ‘How can I make this more fun?’: Transform mundane or unpleasant activities into playful experiences.
  • RSVPing for a mammogram, wearing costumes, or playfully scheduling appointments.
• Spontaneity: Say yes to dares, be open to unexpected adventures—like spontaneous trips or impromptu games.
• Traditions and Rituals: Invent family traditions, like “no manners dinner” or playful food fights with noodles. (29:25–30:00)
• Lighten Up Everyday Life: From dressing up with masks to silly food presentations, infuse creativity and novelty into routine.
  • “Any time I have grapes or cherry tomatoes, I have to do this… [puts them in her lip for a laugh].” – Chris (29:56)
• Try New Things: Experiment with unusual foods or unique experiences for novelty and laughter.
• Memorable Moment:
  • The story of chasing kids with gorilla masks and spontaneous noodle fights. (27:00–28:30)

c. Share Fun (32:52)

• Capture and Revisit Fun Moments: Take pictures, make memory books, and cherish shared memories.
• Find Your Fun People: Connect with those who enable and enjoy fun with you—from friends on girls’ trips to family.
  • “We always jump on the bed in the hotel, we find a slide at a park, we jump in puddles.” – Chris (33:49)
• Build Bonds through Laughter: Recognize that shared fun fosters closeness and connection, whether with family, friends, or a community.

4. Fun as Connection and Self-Regulation

• Deliberate vs. Spontaneous Fun: Both planned and spontaneous fun matter; plan family fun days, but also stay open to serendipitous joy.
• Individual Definitions of Fun: Honor your own style—fun can be silly, creative, artistic, culinary, introverted, or extroverted.
  • “Fun could be like baking something or knitting, crocheting…Finding different things that are fun for you and it doesn't…That’s all going to be very relative.” – Chris (23:42)
• Physical & Emotional Sensation of Fun: Lightness, laughter, open and safe feelings, and “eyes lighting up”—these are signals of authentic fun.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chris, on being too serious:
  “Thou shalt not get too damn serious.” (24:50)
• Leah, on overcoming resistance to fun:
  “For me, fun almost always is paired with laughter. So I look at who do I laugh with…where do I laugh…That’s for me, laughter and fun.” (34:40)
• Chris’s playful approach to daily life:
  “I can't tell you how many times I have been doing laundry downstairs…pull out the gorilla mask or the horse head…I’ll just walk through the kitchen and my people just look at me like, ‘C’mon, Mom, seriously, you’re doing this again?’ But it just makes me giggle.” (27:00)
• On sharing and building fun memories:
  “I love sharing the funny story with someone. Making the little comment to…just to help people smile.” – Chris (35:48)

Timestamps Overview

| Topic/Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------|---------------| | Intro and Guest Introduction | 00:00–06:00 | | Chris’s Playful Personality | 02:49–04:30 | | Why Fun is Important | 07:10–08:35 | | Barriers to Fun & Nervous System | 09:00–13:14 | | Fun as Buffer vs. Connection | 13:35–17:40 | | Deliberate and Spontaneous Fun | 17:40–18:50 | | Chris’s “FUN-damentals” (3 Buckets) | 18:50–32:50 | | Sharing Fun and Connection | 32:52–35:20 | | Physical Sensations & Definitions of Fun| 35:20–36:50 | | Final Thoughts & Where to Find Chris | 37:13–37:32 |

Conclusion

Leah and Chris deliver a bright and practical conversation, underscoring that fun is a necessity for resilience—not an afterthought. Through personal stories, reflective insights, and specific tools, listeners are encouraged to recognize barriers to play, embrace their unique brand of fun, and infuse daily life with more joy and lightness. Whether you’re a natural goofball or feel disconnected from play, this episode offers a compassionate invitation to rediscover fun as a path to relief, connection, and vitality.

Where to Find Chris Rich:

• Website: chrisrichcoaching.com
• Instagram & Facebook: @chrisrichcoaching
• Podcast: Mixed Faith Relationship Podcast