When you’re living an active lifestyle, it’s important imperative to feel free and confident through it all. Whether that’s via an actual sport or through some other recreational hobby or activity, you’ve gotta feel good while having fun. It’s like the golden rule of…life. You guys know I’m a huge advocate for makin’ it happen – for living life with intention, and for actively going out there and pursuing your dreams. Why? Because you can. Because I said so. Because for as cliche as it, YOLO is true. And every second you spend either a.) not doing what you want to be doing in life, or b.) doing what you want to be doing, but doing it scared and without any semblance of confidence of chutzpah, you’re seriously missing out. Today is your permission slip. Today is the day you should look it all in the face and just go for it. Today you stop listening to what society says you should or should not do, and you actively decide. Make the decision, commit, do the damn thing, and have some fun today. Here are 13 unexpected ways to have fun in your 20’s.

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1. Enjoy nights in, often. Instead of thinking of new things to do out and about, consider how you can just enjoy some fun in your own home. Whether it’s a show you’ve been dying to bingewatch or a new movie from Red Box, some good ol’ fashioned board games, a spa night, homemade dinner for one (or five), see how you can mix things up within your own four walls.
2. Struggle. But…struggling? Fun? But really. Struggle through something you’ve always wanted to do but never thought you’d be “good” at. Then, enjoy the feeling of satisfaction that comes when you actually ain’t half bad. 😉
3. Spend less. In today’s mostly materialistic society, sometimes it can feel like the push is to spend more to feel more joy. Not necessary, though! Spend a Saturday thrifting, yard saling or flea marketing. The Saturday newspapers (remember those?) will have listings of yard sales, so grab your cuppa coffee and snacks and map out a good neighborhood route. Have a cap on how much you can spend and challenge yourself to maximize the bang for your buck. Compete with your SO or bestie to see who can find the best thing(s) for the least amount of cash.
4. Go back to high school. Whether it’s your alma mater or just your local school now, get your best game face on and head to a Friday night football game to cheer on the home team. Grab tickets to see the high school play or musical, and bring a bouquet of flowers to give to your favorite character at the end of the show – you’ll make their nights, hands down.
5. Book it. Head to the community library with nothing but a tote bag and open mind. Fill your tote with everything from cookbooks to travel guides, the latest bestselling fiction and newly released autobiographies. Make a night of learning and growing, vowing to try at least one new thing/skill, plan out your next dream trip, *and* have a new Jeopardy fact in your back pocket for when you need to show some skillz.
6. Accept your mistakes. WHOA THERE. In today’s society, you’re not anything if you aren’t hustlin’. You’re just lackluster if you’re not constantly growing and blossoming and better and better and holy overwhelm! Have some majorly unexpected fun by simply accepting yourself exactly as you are, enjoying your own quirks. Instead of constantly second-guessing yourself, wondering if so-and-so even likes you in the first place or whether you look as awkward as you feel, just let go and do you. Mindblowing concept in today’s day and age, but just accept yo’self. Accept your mistakes. Accept every ounce of you, and see how much more fun comes into your life when you do.
7. Embrace your inner grandma. Lately, I’ve been oh so good at this, and I don’t even hate it. When you’re living a super active lifestyle – even if that just means constantly bebopping from one thing and one place to the next, girlfriend needs a break sometimes! If the clock hits 9 pm and you’re feelin’ bedtime, do it. If you have zero desire to go out on the weekend, don’t you dare feel bad about it or like you’re not a fun person! Embrace the inner grandma, and feel zero shame if you feel “different” than what society tells millennials to be or do. Just do you.
8. Go to a playground. I mean…obviously. But let me tell you. If you want unexpected fun in your 20’s, go to your local playground and attempt to climb up everything you did as a little kid. You’ll either succeed and up scaling pieces you shouldn’t even be upside down or on top of, or you’ll fall down the slide. Either way. 😉 Bring yo’ friends, bring yo’ snacks, bring yo’ supplies, bring yo’ music, and just. have. fun.
9. Take a bubble bath. But instead of the brightly colored bubble juices you used as a kid, opt for a more sophisticated option. Pour a glass of wine, grab a new novel you’ve been itching to read, and just sit and soak up the moment.
10. Hang out with your family. Remember when you were an angsty teenager and the *last* thing you wanted to do was spend all day with the fam? If that mindset hasn’t changed already, I promise you…it will soon. When you’re actually implementing numero seis (that’s #6) and accepting your own quirks, it becomes a lot easier to accept others’ quirks, too. Unexpected fun comes from watching your own too-low expectations get blown outta the water instantaneously. Let it happen.
11. Start snuggling. Head to the local animal shelter or rescue league and snuggle with all of the animals in need of loving homes. Whether you’re a cat person (hollah!) or dog lover, show some love to new furry friends. If you manage to make it home without adopting…four for you glen coco. Some of us don’t have the willpower. 😉 Snuggle it up with all the kittens; it lowers your own stress levels, too, making you feel happier and healthier overall!
12. Step outside your comfort zone. MAJOR KEY ALERT. Nothing good ever blossoms in comfort zones. When you want to have unexpected fun, push yourself to a new limit. Challenge yourself to hit a new height. See how far you can go with something you never even thought possible of yourself. The fun will begin and won’t end on that one, because the adrenaline rush from growing into who you’re destined to be is truly addicting. The second you have doubt in your own abilities, step back and watch yourself make it happen.
13. Get active…in a new way! Oftentime, it feels like 20-somethings are active because society tells us to be into the latest fitness trend or exercise class. But if you don’t truly lovelovelove barre or pilates or BBG, don’t sweat it! Sweat it out in other ways by finding something that you actually enjoy that gets your heart beat movin’ and groovin’. If that means trying a hip hop class because you’ve always wanted to sweat to Missy Elliot (#dreams), do it. If you love brisk walks on nature trails with your FitBit, do it. Maybe you’re into jazzercise routines…just do it! Don’t be afraid to try new things and mix it up for the sake of having fun while you play.

And when you’re living for the unexpected, you’ve gotta be prepared all the way around. I’m partnering with Playtex® Sport® as I Play On®, because I 100% believe that you should never (ever ever ever) let your womanhood limit you. We’re capable of so stinkin’ much in life…we don’t have a second to spare sitting home sulking once a month. That’s key empire building time, y’all! 😉 So as awkward as it might be to talk about, admit it: you hate being that girl not doing what you love when Mother Nature calls. All of your unexpected fun is topped when you feel confident, protected, and truly ready to take whatever comes atcha with open arms and open mind. I saw a study recently from Playtex® Sport® of 500 13-24 year old U.S. women: 64% of young women admit to frequently feeling “period shame,” 75% admit they frequently decide to not play a sport or exercise specifically because they’re on their period, and 48% have used toilet paper (*so* not recommended) as a makeshift feminine supply during a physical activity. Y’all. Expect the unexpected. Playtex® Sport® products have Sport Level Protection® so you can *actually* keep moving, having fun, and being your best self. Ain’t nobody got time for otherwise.

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And for the record, when you’re really caught candidly having fun, this can happen: 😉

How do you bring unexpected fun into your own life?

I’m *always* on the hunt for more fun things to do and try, so I’d lovelovelove if you’d leave a few recommendations in the comments below for whatever fun fall activities are your own personal favorites!

P.S. When you need it next, I recommend picking up a Playtex® Sport® Combo Pack with two varieties of Sport Level Protection® so you’ve got multiple products to try – (visit here for more info). And since we like F-R-E-E around these rosy parts, be sure to click here to grab your FREE samples of Playtex® Sport® Liners, Pads and Combo Packs!

*This post is in partnership with Playtex® Sport®. As always, all opinions and thoughts presented are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Coming Up Roses!