Don’t wait for play to find you – find ways to bring more play into your life each day.
When is the last time you played? Really had fun enjoying life, being silly, or even breaking into fits of belly laughs? If you can’t remember or if it hasn’t been since childhood it may be time to connect to that part of yourself again; the part of you that is light at heart, has a sense of awe, and sees the humour in life. One of the dictionary definitions for play is “the spontaneous activity of children”. Just because we are adults doesn’t mean we don’t still have those childlike qualities within us. There is a difference between being childlike and being childish.
Unfortunately, many of us bundle up innocence, spontaneity, pleasure and play and leave them behind with childhood. As soon as we have responsibilities, jobs, bills and mortgages, we tend to get serious; too serious at times. It’s as though fun and work are antonyms and paying bills equates to misery. When did being responsible mean chaining your ankles and wrists to a wall? Where did we get the notion that being grown up and fulfilling our obligations had to be heavy or dreary? Wouldn’t our days be so much more enjoyable if we could bring more play into lives?
Imagine what it would be like to go through your day at home and at work with a feeling of lightness and amusement. Imagine sprinkling playful moments within and between chores and tasks. What effect would this have on your health, relationships and work? And what does it cost to not bring play into your life?
How to Bring More Play into Your Life
Explore these questions and suggestions as a way to increase the playful times in your life.
~ On a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 being no play and 10 being a high level of joy and play, where do you rate yourself? Where do you let yourself play and have fun? Is it restricted to weekends or certain people or situations? What gets in the way of having more fun?
~ What are the messages and beliefs that say it’s not okay to have fun or play in certain areas of your life? Where do these come from (parents, teachers, society etc.)? Let them go and adopt new beliefs that support you to be more playful.
~ Brainstorm a list of ways you could bring more play, or at least a playful attitude, into your work and home life. What would you have to let go of and what would you have to embrace in order to do this?
~ Choose to bring more play into your life by committing to do something specific each day. For example, share a joke with a grumpy co-worker, tickle your spouse as you walk past him or her, play with your kids or pets, participate in a fun activity.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing!” George Bernard Shaw
How do you bring more play into your life? Please share below.
