Let’s Play!

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -George Bernard Shaw

This past week I thought about when the word PLAY stopped entering into my mind. I think I still call playing my words with friends or puzzles or other games playing, but I seem to have stopped calling the movement of my body as play.

I believe so many of us exercise because "we should do it" and spend a lot of time talking ourselves into, or out of, exercising. Perhaps, if we tell ourselves we are going play like we used to when we "played" sports as kids, or went outside to play with our friends, it may make it more fun. Whether it's walking, biking, lifting weights, yoga, pilates etc. try calling it play and see if your mind shifts.

The continued research on play states that when we play we are more creative, less stressed, and more fun to be around. When adults play, notes Sutton-Smith, their memory is better, they are cognitively more capable, and they are happier.

So I decided that I was going to start playing a bit more, or at least call what I'm doing play, So this week when I "exercise," I will tell myself I'm going to play yoga, play pilates, play on my trampoline, on my bike and while lifting my weights.

And..I'll definitely play a few games on my phone.

I hope you find a few moments this week to add some play to your day.

Play is our free connection to pure possibility~Hara Estroff Marano