“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw
Lately I’ve been thinking of ways to harness the more relaxed and carefree vibe of summer to give myself a boost. I’ve been stuck in a bit of a creative rut and generally just taking some things way too seriously and then seriously slacking on others.
The past few months have been an intense time of education for me. It’s been great, but I’ve definitely been living in my head space too much, and because I’m passionate about what I’m learning, I’ve let the scales tip a bit too far. And while I’m pursuing my passion and LOVE all that I’m learning, there is a downside to using all this mental energy! My brain feels like it might actually explode, my inspiration lacks, and my productivity tanks. I’ve been stuck in a mind space but ignoring the heart space, which can leave me feeling drained, low energy, uninspired and stuck in a rut, no matter how well I’m eating or sleeping.
While I’m a firm believer in pursuing your passion and calling to the highest level, there is often a fine line between that passion fueling your energy and draining it.
When you’ve crossed that line (like I have), it’s time to course correct! That can only mean one thing.
It’s time to play!
Everyone knows play is both fun and beneficial, but have you ever stopped to consider how truly powerful it is and how crucial for wellness?
Play should be regarded as an essential nutrient in the diet of life.
I’d like to see what kind of shift could happen if doctors started writing more prescriptions for play! I think it would come with some dramatic results.
Compulsively doing what we think we should be doing (even if it’s something we enjoy doing!) can come at a cost. It can make us feel limited and trapped, and uninspired.
When it comes to play, it’s not about doing what you should do. It’s about switching it up to give yourself an energy boost.
I love this definition of play by Dr. Stuart Brown, who heads up the National Institute of Play. “Play is something done for its own sake. It’s voluntary, it’s pleasurable, it offers a sense of engagement, it takes you out of time. And the act itself is more important than the outcome.”
Play shouldn’t be reserved for kids. Here are just a few ways play benefits your health, body and mind!
Play helps us to get back in touch with our true selves, the selves we were before we had so many obligations and responsibilities.
Play releases stagnant energy, physical and mental.
Play is powerful enough to rewire the brain for more energy.
Play liberates and activates. It’s a gateway to vitality, generates optimism and boosts the immune system.
Play develops resiliency, the ability to bounce back from stressors, both metabolic and emotional.
Play allows us to let go of ego, embrace intuition, express ourselves and is fundamentally rewarding. It amplifies our own inner light and lifts others up in the process.
Play reconnects us with joy. It allows us to feel inherently alive, and radiant.
Play reconnects the body and mind to the present moment and disconnects from worry and fear.
Play allows the body to release tension and reduces stress.
Play moves you from headspace to heart space.
Play is an embrace of life.
Life is full enough of demands and obligations that can start to suck the life out of us. We need more carefree moments!
What defines play may be different for everyone, but at it’s most basic level it’s just FUN. It’s fun, but it’s not entertainment.
Play comes from within you, while entertainment happens to you. Entertainment springs from someone else’s creativity, while play arises out of your own.
So, while it might be “fun” to go to the movies or a concert, those things aren’t really categorized as play.
Maybe play is just taking a more playful approach to everyday tasks or doing something that you love, lights you up and energizes you. Either way, it allows you to re-connect to your vitality each day.
When you are playful, you rewire your brain into a more passionate, more energetic, and more alive way of being in the world.
Need some inspiration? Take some inspiration from childhood, when play was all you knew!
These are easy!
When’s the last time you played tag? Could be fun!!
Water balloon fights? Yes!
Play with your dog more! Dog + ball = play and joy.
Pretend you’re on vacation. Keep one weekend a month free from chores and obligations so you can relax like you’re on vacation. Go out for breakfast. Explore different areas of your city. Take a day trip.
Be more spontaneous! Spontaneity is way more playful than planning! Do more fun things on a whim.
Those are just a few ideas I came up that aren’t tied to any accomplishments or goals. It’s just play for its own sake, and like Dr. Stuart Brown, I think there’s something to that.
Here’s a challenge. Ask yourself what activities make you feel playful and alive, then do more of them! Spend a little time this week planning a summer bucket list o’fun full of playful activities that will make you feel alive and improve your connections with others as well as yourself. These activities are every bit as important as your obligations when it comes to energy and vitality. Don’t ignore this essential nutrient!
And let me know some of your favorite ways to play!
