Its possible to be intentional and fun—here's how

by Olecia Christie | 3 Minute read

Recently a friend of mine challenged me on my blog post, "Are you getting these three things out of your conversations?"

Soon after I released the post, she called me up to say, "well, does that mean I won't be able to shoot the breeze with you anymore in our chats?"

I caught myself laughing hysterically at her question, knowing fully well she meant every word. After reading my blog, my friend felt that meaningful conversations meant no laughter, no girl chat — bottom line, no fun.

I quickly assured her that was not the case and used our own chats to prove my point. On any given day of the week, you can find us exchanging ideas on how to raise our children, improve our careers, and create balance in our lives. Truth be told, this sometimes includes a healthy dose of "shooting the breeze" or what I prefer to call constructive pop culture analysis. Ok, so I don't call it that, but you get the picture. Take, for example, our recent dissecting of the Sussexes' move to retire their royal duties and titles for a more modern lifestyle. This took the form of a heated three-day discussion. My opinion? Progressive and pragmatic. Hers? Self-seeking and selfish.

Imagine the debate that defined our afternoon chats. For me, it was just what I needed — a topical pop culture phenomenon with applicable lessons for our own lives. Themes like the pursuit of happiness, the concept of duty, and feminism came up repeatedly in our discussions. It was fun, but it was also meaningful and, at times, didactic. In those moments, we were our most authentic selves. We laughed about the difference in our opinions, but we also understood how our unique perspectives and experiences validated those opinions.

Having a meaningful conversation does not mean we toss the fun out the door. It's quite the opposite. Meaningful conversations happen when we bring our passions and convictions to the discussion. If we are doing this, then the topic doesn't matter. What matters is the intent and how we apply those moments to our everyday lives. I’m still very intentional about the topics I give my energy to, but my conversations are about so much more than just philosophy.

So no need to re-structure your conversations around lofty ideals or the theory of relativity. But if you do, make it fun too. 😆