A couple of weeks ago my friend and colleague, Master Life Coach Susan Hyatt, asked a question on a coaching forum that I am a part of: What do you do for fun?

Ever since I read The Four Day Win by Martha Beck years ago and learned about Rat Park, I’ve been trying to consciously add more fun to my life.

Rat Park refers to a research experiment that Martha discusses in The Four Day Win.

The gist of the experiment is this: Rats in a cage will drink water laced with narcotic rather than eat or sleep or play. They will drink it ‘til they fall over.

But–rats who live in Rat Park, a wonderland of hills and tunnels and things to climb on, will not drink water laced with narcotic. They will stick with plain water as needed and continue to run, jump and play all day.

At the time I first read The Four Day Win, my life didn’t look anything like my version of Rat Park. I loved my work and my life but I didn’t have much time for fun. And I was totally addicted to my morning coffee. (Hey, it was decaf, but I still couldn’t live without it!)

Over the years, I changed that. My life came so close to my ideal Rat Park that I stopped needing my daily fix of coffee.

When Susan asked what I did for fun, I suddenly realized that I haven’t been having much fun lately—and I’ve become more dependent on that morning coffee again!

It’s time for me to get back to Rat Park. I dubbed the Rugged Maniac (the obstacle race I did a couple of weeks ago) the beginning of my return!

Everyone’s version of Rat Park is different. Not everyone thinks an obstacle race involving mud and high walls and sheer drops is fun. Doesn’t matter if you think my version of Rat Park is crazy—what’s yours?

If you have no idea, try asking yourself these questions to trigger your memory:

1. What did you like to do for fun when you were a kid?
2. What was your favorite subject in elementary school?
3. What was your favorite subject in middle school?
4. What was your favorite subject in high school?
5. Can you think of anything you do or used to do that causes you to lose time? (The whole world goes away and hours pass like minutes while you are doing this thing.)

Or you can do what I did: I told my sister (try anyone in your life that you’ve had fun with in the past) that I’m not having any fun these days. She immediately came up with something that we have both been dying to try for years: speed skating!

I’ll let you know how it goes.