Be honest — when was the last time someone described you as fun to be around?

If that question makes you a little defensive, you're not alone. When we're overwhelmed, exhausted, and running on empty, fun is usually the first thing to go. And when we stop having fun, we stop being fun — for our kids, our partners, our friends, and ourselves.

In this episode, I'm asking a question that might sting a little, but one I believe is worth sitting with: How much fun are you to be around?

This isn't about being the life of the party. It's about recognizing that chronic overwhelm quietly robs us of our lightness, our humor, and our ability to connect — and that has real consequences for the relationships we work so hard to protect.

What you'll discover today:

• Why overwhelm turns us tunnel-visioned and makes us lose our humor, lightness, and ability to truly connect with the people we love

• The neuroscience behind why your brain needs fun — and what happens when it doesn't get it (hint: wine, Netflix, and late-night scrolling are not accidents)

• The "I'll have fun later" trap — why waiting for the kids to grow up, retirement, or things to slow down is a dangerous strategy

• Why so many women can't answer the question "what do you enjoy?" — and why that's not okay

• How guilt, fear, and the belief that self-sacrifice is a virtue keep us stuck at the bottom of our own list

• A practical exercise to help you figure out what actually lights you up — and why writing it down makes all the difference

• Why prioritizing your own joy is one of the best things you can do for your family, not a selfish act

Timestamps:

00:00 The Question That Makes Us Defensive

01:30 Overwhelm and Self-Awareness

03:00 We Work Hard For the People We Love — So Be Fun for Them

04:59 The "I'll Have Fun Later" Trap

07:30 Summer as an Invitation to Reclaim Joy

08:00 Why Women Can't Answer "What Do You Enjoy?"

09:44 Let's Dream — A Practical Exercise

12:00 Don't Let Your Toddler Feelings Drive the Car

15:00 The Dopamine Connection: Why We Numb Instead of Nourish

17:00 Transitions and the Soft Place to Land

19:09 My Seven-Year Wake-Up Call

21:00 Role Modelling a Balanced Life

22:30 Closing and Contact

Links from today's episode:

• Get in touch for 1:1 therapy

• Dare to Lead Workshop

Connect with Kimberly:

• Connect on LinkedIn

• Connect on Facebook

• Connect on Instagram

Related Episodes:

• What Do You Really Want?

• Are You Chronically Numbing?

• The Lost Art of Gathering