了解今日课堂：

【听力文段】mp3

（1-1）

You know what's a lot harder than it seems like it should be? Actually feeling alive. And what I mean by that is that we are all constantly doing, or, at least, we're constantly scrolling. But we're not necessarily living.

You know, we keep ourselves busy to the point of exhaustion. But we're also languishing. We feel a little bit dead inside. And I think we know that, on some level. I think that's part of the reason we keep ourselves so busy and distracted to begin with. But we don't know what to do about it.

So I'm here to tell you I figured out what to do about it. We need to have more fun.

So you might think that you're already having plenty of fun. And that's because in our everyday speech, we often use the word "fun" to describe anything we do with our leisure time, even if it's not actually enjoyable, and, in fact, a waste of time. So for example, we scroll through social media "for fun," even though doing so often makes us feel bad about, like, kind of everything. Or we'll say, "That was so fun. We should do that again soon"......in response to things that weren't that fun and that we don't want to do again, ever. ......

（1-2）

But it's not really our fault that we're a little bit sloppy about how we use the word fun. Because even the dictionary doesn't get it quite right. It says that fun is amusement or enjoyment, or lighthearted pleasure. It's something for kids to have in play areas. It makes it sound like it's frivolous and optional.

But if you think back on your own memories that stand out to you as having truly been fun. And I really encourage you to do this, the memories that you would describe as, and forgive me for scientific terminology, so fun, you're going to notice there's something much deeper going on. I've collected thousands of these stories from people all around the world. And I can tell you it's amazing. Because when people recount the memories in which they had the most fun, they tell you about some of the most joyful and treasured memories of their lives.

So in reality, fun is not just lighthearted pleasure. It's not just for kids. And it is definitely not frivolous. Instead, fun is the secret to feeling alive.

So today, I want to propose to you a new, more precise definition of what fun is. I want to reveal some of the ways in which it is astonishingly good for us. And I want to give you all some suggestions for things you can do starting right now to experience its power for yourself.

（1-3）

So the first thing we need to start with is the fact that fun is a feeling. And it's not an activity. And that's important. Because a lot of times, when I ask people what's fun, they'll respond with a list of activities that they enjoy. You know, they'll say, "Dancing is fun", or "Skiing is fun", or, I don't know, "Pickleball is fun". Everyone seems to think that pickleball is fun.

And sure, pickleball can be fun. But we've all had experiences where something's off. And an activity that seems like it would be fun doesn't end up feeling fun. And then on the flip side, we've had experiences where something that doesn't seem like it'll be fun at all ends up feeling ridiculously fun. There's an element of serendipity. But when people do have fun, when they experience this feeling, it's actually very easy to recognize. Because people who are having fun look like they're being illuminated from within.

So, for example, here is me and my husband having fun together. Here are some presidents having fun together.

And as you can see in these photographs, true fun produces this visceral sense of lightness and joy. It's radiant. In fact, when I asked my daughter, when she was about five years old, what color fun would be, she said "sunshine".

So what is this sunshine? You know? What is this feeling that we call "fun"? When people tell me their stories about fun, it's really interesting. Because the details are all different, and often quite mundane. But the energy running through them is the same. There were three factors that are consistently present, to the point that I believe they constitute a new definition. One that is a lot more accurate than what's in the dictionary. And those three factors are playfulness, connection and flow.

（1-4）

So by playfulness, I do not mean you have to play games, or, God forbid, make believe. I just mean having a lighthearted attitude of doing things for the sake of doing them and not caring too much about the outcome. Letting go of perfectionism. When we have fun, our guard is down. And we're not taking ourselves too seriously.

Connection refers to the feeling of having a special, shared experience. And I do think it's possible, in some circumstances, to have fun alone, and for this feeling of connection to be with yourself or the surroundings, or the activity. But in the majority of stories that people tell me about their peak fun memories, another person is involved. And that's true even for introverts.

And then flow is the state where we are so engaged and focused on whatever we're doing that we can even lose track of time. You can think about an athlete in the middle of a game, or a musician playing a piece of music. It's when we're in the zone. It's possible to be in flow and not have fun, like if you're arguing. But you cannot have fun if you're not in flow.

So playfulness, connection and flow all feel great on their own. But when we experience all three at once, something magical happens. We have fun. And that doesn't just feel good, it is good for us. In fact, fun does so many amazingly good things for us that I personally believe that fun is not just the result of human thriving, it's a cause.

【地道美语，长句精练】

1. What I mean by that is that we are all constantly doing.

2. They tell you about some of the most joyful and treasured memories of their lives.

3. doing things for the sake of doing them and not caring too much about the outcome

【课堂纠音，上节连读】

1. I witnessed this close hand by studying a friend up close.

2. You are a product of those who you hang around.

3. But that doesn't mean things always go my way