be whimsical: an instructional guide

12 Jun, 2025

Whimsy is what a person who's a dreamer and out of step with the real world might have lots of. People who are full of whimsy are odd, but often fanciful and lovely, like Harry Potter's friend Luna Lovegood.¹

Life is so much more enriched when there's space for whimsy. Ever since a good friend introduced whimsy in our travels together I have been hooked and I'd like to make case to introduce it in your life as well (if you can).

I'd like to share an example with you. A few days ago, in a new city (Nipaluna/Hobart), some friends have finished playing pinball at an arcade bar. We're about to set home and I share that we could walk to our accommodation. I said it will take 35 minutes. And out of almost nowhere, there's the chaos of suggesting making it there in 25 minutes. My friend starts to walk very fast and I follow. This makes no sense but that's why it's fun.

Later, as we talk about life and look like mad people fast walking 10pm at night near suburbia, I mention that the only way to actually make it back in 25 minutes is if we ran. Guess what my friend does? They start running and I follow. And then we ran for the next few minutes. Blissfully ignoring all logic and instead, focusing on being only in the present.

embrace randomness

Anxiety can often result in the need to plan excessively and it has mostly served me well. However, it often doesn't leave room for flexibility. So instead, just being slowly open to act on randomness is crucial. It takes time but you can introduce it slowly.

You planned to go the specific cafe or restaurant that you have studied the menus and layouts of? Well this time, you need to test your randomness and you instead will go to the one opposite to that, or maybe go to a restaurant with a cuisine you have never tried before. Small but frequent bits of randomness have allowed me to be more flexible and embrace random things with resilience.

introduce and reciprocate chaos

Say yes more often to things you otherwise would never say yes to. Be like my friend and suggest some absurd things (within reason and limits). Starting small is definitely the way to go. You never know when just randomly going for stuff can make it the best day ever.

seek out places and activities that have room for whimsy

I try to find wacky things to do in new places whenever I can. Think things like abandoned amusements parks, weird museums, a place in the city that is alternative and not just the most popular, maybe a cafe that is rated 1.9 stars instead of the usual 4.5 that I always go for. Or perhaps it's things that will create a reaction and interactivity: karaoke, gaming and arcade bars, or somewhere that plays live music.

#journal #whimsy