Adults Need Play, Too!
When I launched the Power of Play Guide, parents and teachers reached out asking "What about adults?" Adults need to play, too!
Here's a prescription for play from Dr. Stuart Brown, psychiatrist and founder of the National Institute of Play: "Remembering what play is all about and making it part of our daily lives are probably the most important factors in being a fulfilled human being. The ability to play is critical not only to being happy, but also to sustaining social relationships and being a creative, innovative person." Dr. Brown's book “Play” is fabulous and a great excuse to goof off!
Our lives literally depend on play. When we play, we nurture our relationships, support our physical and mental health, and increase creativity and productivity. And yet, most adults treat play as a luxury or a sin. We tell ourselves that play is something we earn, not something of which we are intrinsically worthy. We burn ourselves out rather than igniting our sparks.
It's time for adult swim, and the genius of my grown up play models will be our launchpad for reaching our greatest potential and living our greatest life through PLAY!
Gary Ware, creator of Breakthrough Play and improv comedian, helps professionals level-up their confidence, creativity, and happiness using play. He gave a TED Talk on how play saved his life, and his interview on the Let Pleasure Be the Measure podcast was golden! Here are his 4 virtues to promote play:
Choose joy! Feelings can coexist, and we can choose joy while navigating all the feels.
Maximize power-ups! Everything is energy, and energy is everything, so maximize it.
Accept reality, not with resignation, but with YES/AND. It's how to dwell in possibility.
Seek out playmates and playtime. These are your people, and life is your stage.
Jeff Harry, creator of Rediscover Your Play, shows individuals and companies how to tap into their true selves, to feel their happiest and most fulfilled — all by playing. Jeff is hilarious and high energy, and his recent interview changed my life! Here's what I learned:
The opposite of play is perfection.
Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.
There is no "right" way, do find your way!
The way we celebrate is also the way we cope.
Pasha Marlowe is a therapeutic comedy and pleasure coach, creator of the ROAR with Laughter program, podcast host, author, and mama supporting a chronically ill child. Her book is amazing, and I love her Let Pleasure Be the Measure podcast. Perhaps what inspires me most about Pasha is her journey to authenticity and finding joy amid heartbreak. Here's what she's taught me about being a playful adult:
You can't have an "aha" without a "ha-ha."
Ping pong tables are perfect for dining rooms.
Love can be pure and imperfect at the same time.
P-L-A-Y is another way to spell H-O-P-E.
We can change (and save!) our grown up lives through play. Here's my play plan this week. What’s your play plan?
Read great books!
Laugh out loud watching Offspring
Walk, skip, and maybe do a cartwheel in nature
Make memories, tell jokes, and cheer on my friends and family.
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