The Magic of PLAY – The Joy. The Memories. The Aliveness.
Last month we went deep. Heavy. Transformational. The kind of topics that make you stare out the window questioning your entire life while holding a cup of coffee you forgot to drink.
So this month, we’re lightening it up. We’re talking about something wildly underrated in adulthood: PLAY.
Even saying that word makes me smile. Play softens the edges. It reduces stress, calms the nervous system, and lifts the spirit without asking anything in return. No productivity. No outcome. No gold star required. That’s the magic of play. It delivers the goods whether or not we remember to invite it in.
Let me give you a recent example.
This picture in the post is from a trip a few weeks ago. My hubby and I took a very last-minute, spontaneous trip to Lake Tahoe to ski. The area was expecting a massive storm—up to eight feet of snow in three days. The kind of snow skiers dream about.
The conversation went from: “How fun would that be…” to “Let’s do it.”
We talked about it for 15 minutes on a Sunday, booked it that night and by Wednesday, we were on a plane.
Now, that level of spontaneity usually sends my nervous system into a full committee meeting. And yes, it did this time too. But I kept telling myself:
“Relax. You can do this. This is play. This is fun. You’re allowed to enjoy yourself.”
So instead of spiraling into stress about the unknown, I leaned into the excitement. I gave myself permission to go play for five days. And it was………..glorious.
Beyond epic snow. Powder for days. Sunshine. No wind. Unreal views. The full fantasy package. More importantly though, it gave me something even better: a memory I’ll never regret making.
That’s the thing about play. It always pays dividends. Sometimes in joy. Sometimes in stories. Always in aliveness.
Now, maybe five days of play feels like a luxury to you. Totally fair. But even one hour can reset your entire state. Play doesn’t have to be extravagant. It just has to be intentional. Think of it as a nervous system reset. A permission slip to step out of responsibility and back into being human.
Here are a few ways to get your play on:
🎯 EASY MODE: 10 Minute Curiosity Sprint
Set a timer for 10 minutes.
During that time, you may only do something that feels fun, curious, or mildly entertaining. Not impressive. Not productive. Just… enjoyable.
The catch: no TV, phone, or computer.
Examples:
– Color in a coloring book
– Play with Legos
– Rearrange objects just because it looks nice
– Listen to music and dance like no one’s watching (because they aren’t)
When the timer ends, stop—even if you’re enjoying it. This builds trust with yourself. You can come back to play anytime.
✨ MEDIUM MODE: The Childhood Returns Time
Ask yourself: What did I love doing between ages 7–12?
Now go do that. Adult version. One hour.
Examples:
– Ride a bike with nowhere to be
– Climb something
– Build a fort (yes, seriously)
– Collect rocks, leaves, or random treasures
– Make up stories
Your nervous system remembers what felt safe and joyful. When you reintroduce those experiences, your system recalibrates. Your body relaxes. Your mind softens. You remember yourself again.
💡THOUGHT-PROVOKING HARD: The “Play Audit” + Override
This one rewires your relationship with play.
Part I – Ask yourself:
– When do I feel most alive?
– What feels fun but “unnecessary”?
– What do I secretly want to do, but don’t because it seems frivolous?
These are your play portals.
Part II – Complete this sentence repeatedly:
“I’m someone who allows myself to play because…”
Examples:
– I’m awesome and I deserve joy without earning it
– I like who I am when I’m relaxed
– It reduces my stress
– It makes me feel alive
– It connects me to myself and others
Write down every answer. Let it reprogram your internal permission structure.
Mic Drop:
We adults have mastered responsibility. We don’t need more discipline. We need more play. More breaks. More spontaneity. More moments that exist purely for the experience of being alive—not optimizing it.
Some of you may need to rebuild your capacity for play slowly. With safety. With structure. With permission. That’s okay.
Play isn’t childish. It’s medicinal. It resets the nervous system. It restores perspective. It brings you back to yourself. And the best part? It rarely disappoints. It delivers exactly what you didn’t realize you needed.
So consider this your official permission slip.
Go play. Recess has begun.
