Yes, that 'work' energy is heavy at times! For me, I like to infuse playful energy into my everyday with laughter. And dancing and signing around the living room, just for playful, silly, fun!
This is a fabulous post. And thank you for the shout out. I just read another post about play this morning at Gratitude Mojo by Joyce Wycoff, title is Gratitude and Crinoid. You might enjoy that. Reading your posts it's clear to me that "serious and responsible" does not preclude joyous and playful. You are full of wonder. It's really a matter of syncing up the different aspects of your personality. That you are now identifying how you want to move forward is all that the "serious and responsible" side of you needs to get the job done. :)
I love this, and love that you are creating a play room! (And thanks for the shoutout!) If there are windows, I’d get some prisms that will cast rainbows on the wall. If not, twinkle lights are always fun! I love the idea of big, colorful pillows and poufs, and maybe a bookshelf (with only fun, light reads) organized by color. And leave room for dancing to music!! ❤️
I was thinking about this question on my walk this morning--what is play for me? And a woman rode by on her bike--not a mountain bike or a racing bike. Just a cruiser with a basket. And I remembered how much I love riding my own cruiser around town, not for exercise, but for the pure pleasure of it. Especially when I’m going fast downhill, I totally feel like a kid again. Thanks for helping me remember that!
I love that. It is as much the way we do things as the things we do. I can be playful when I walk or I can be “serious” and “exercising”. I think it’s this quality I want to regain, but having activities that help me remember it I’m hoping will help rebuild that muscle!
Of course I love this~ with my back to back~ fusions~ I colored~ and colored~ it was great therapy for me ~ I was in bed off and on for 3 years~ flat~ lots of PT and heat and ice in between
I always love the idea of playing in a kid's playground. Those climbing structures look so much fun and it's a shame that adults can't clamber over them too!
There is a movement called “Feldenkris”. I’ll look for a good link. From what I remember, he had an injury that he was not supposed to walk again. He was an engineer, and thought about the way babies moved and learned to walk. He got down on the floor and crawled (in play) like various animals. This got him moving and he went on to create a program for rehabilitation that professional dancers use all over the world. I took private and group classes over the years, and realized that I held a lot of tension in my pelvis. Which lead to sciatica. Maybe this could be a form of play that benefits you in numerous ways! 🙏💕
Thank you Terra - I've been taking a Feldenkrais class for 2 years actually but even though my wonderful teacher (Barbara) always tells us to be curious and only do what's easy (always do less, how can this be easier), I still need to work on practicing this more. I've actually been doing one thing she taught me since this flared up too.
I would put a stationary bike in my playroom and give it a name, like a horse, so i could have races and steeplechases. Sometimes I would trot slowly through sunny, snowy meadows. Other times I would gallop through the surf at the seashore. Unbounded adventures.
Always enjoy your musings...and this one was no exception. Having art supplies available can be a wonderful way to encourage play. And if you're not artistic, sometimes the coloring books can be fun, and you can hardly turn those into WORK! lol
This is a perennial question for me, ever since I read research years ago on how adults “play” and its link to flow states. For me, that’s play. Since I’m a mom and an engaged aunt, many people automatically assume that play for me means getting on the floor with Legos or engaging in imaginary play. But honestly, while I enjoy that connection with kids, that kind of play bores me to tears. It’s my own flow states that do it for me—writing, playing music, long walks or hikes, being lost in a wonderful book in front of a fire on a cold day …
I admit I do well with small kids at really dropping into the moment. I'm working on letting flow happen in these other places. The place it's easiest is when a bird comes close to me and I just have to be so still and present.
So this begs the question - if I can be playful with other things, will they end up being "in flow" too? Some things it comes naturally with but can it come with others? I know for sure I can screw up the flow of otherwise flow-inducing activities by overthinking and trying to hard.
That seems like . . . an idea to play around with ;)
We're friends with a family that LOVES games. There's one family member who is just masterful at making board games of any kind a ton of fun. Especially if it's something like the Werewolf game -- especially if we're all camping together -- that requires players to engage in a lot of pretend. Playing games like that without him is kind of fun, but mostly because we're reminded of how *much* fun he makes them. He has a talent for bringing just about anyone into the flow of the thing together, a talent I definitely do not have.
Oh I love this. My brother-in-law's grandmother was like that. I always found her amazing. She had a hard life, her husband was killed in a store robery when she was pregnant with her second son, yet by the time I knew her (in her 70s I imagine) she was just like this light that was such a joy to be around.
You are incredible! I love the climbing thing and the "environment" you created for it. And as your father built it, it's obvious the creative "apple" didn't fall from the tree! :-) You might consider teaching-toy development as a second hustle! But then it wouldn't be play anymore! :-( Anecdote: When I was in PT for the tendonitis, I noticed my therapist, Kat, had a dart board on her wall. I asked if that was something she used for her patients. She laughed and said, No, that was her own toy that she uses when she needs to take a break from the concentration and patience she needs to deal with people who are working hard to overcome physical limitations accompanied with intense pain. It was her way to "lighten up" so would later be more relaxed and effectively and authentically there for her patients. She found that when she engaged in some personal play time, she made the work she asked her patients to do more positively playful as well. So play is far from "wasted" frivolous time, it appears! It's time well spent for the player and those they serve.
Yes, that 'work' energy is heavy at times! For me, I like to infuse playful energy into my everyday with laughter. And dancing and signing around the living room, just for playful, silly, fun!
I need to do that more often! WHen I remember it's always great.
Yes it is! Always worth making space for.
This is a fabulous post. And thank you for the shout out. I just read another post about play this morning at Gratitude Mojo by Joyce Wycoff, title is Gratitude and Crinoid. You might enjoy that. Reading your posts it's clear to me that "serious and responsible" does not preclude joyous and playful. You are full of wonder. It's really a matter of syncing up the different aspects of your personality. That you are now identifying how you want to move forward is all that the "serious and responsible" side of you needs to get the job done. :)
Thank you Sue
I love this, and love that you are creating a play room! (And thanks for the shoutout!) If there are windows, I’d get some prisms that will cast rainbows on the wall. If not, twinkle lights are always fun! I love the idea of big, colorful pillows and poufs, and maybe a bookshelf (with only fun, light reads) organized by color. And leave room for dancing to music!! ❤️
Thank you Katie, I love the suggestions! Lots of open space is the first requirement (and I have put speakers down there)!
Nice work, thanks. Good post.
I was thinking about this question on my walk this morning--what is play for me? And a woman rode by on her bike--not a mountain bike or a racing bike. Just a cruiser with a basket. And I remembered how much I love riding my own cruiser around town, not for exercise, but for the pure pleasure of it. Especially when I’m going fast downhill, I totally feel like a kid again. Thanks for helping me remember that!
I love that. It is as much the way we do things as the things we do. I can be playful when I walk or I can be “serious” and “exercising”. I think it’s this quality I want to regain, but having activities that help me remember it I’m hoping will help rebuild that muscle!
Of course I love this~ with my back to back~ fusions~ I colored~ and colored~ it was great therapy for me ~ I was in bed off and on for 3 years~ flat~ lots of PT and heat and ice in between
Coloring is a great one! Thank you Catherine.
I always love the idea of playing in a kid's playground. Those climbing structures look so much fun and it's a shame that adults can't clamber over them too!
I agree! (Ok, I sometimes used to.) I've been thinking about that for my play space too.
There is a movement called “Feldenkris”. I’ll look for a good link. From what I remember, he had an injury that he was not supposed to walk again. He was an engineer, and thought about the way babies moved and learned to walk. He got down on the floor and crawled (in play) like various animals. This got him moving and he went on to create a program for rehabilitation that professional dancers use all over the world. I took private and group classes over the years, and realized that I held a lot of tension in my pelvis. Which lead to sciatica. Maybe this could be a form of play that benefits you in numerous ways! 🙏💕
Thank you Terra - I've been taking a Feldenkrais class for 2 years actually but even though my wonderful teacher (Barbara) always tells us to be curious and only do what's easy (always do less, how can this be easier), I still need to work on practicing this more. I've actually been doing one thing she taught me since this flared up too.
https://feldenkrais.com/
https://youtu.be/rP1VNeRiAp0
I would put a stationary bike in my playroom and give it a name, like a horse, so i could have races and steeplechases. Sometimes I would trot slowly through sunny, snowy meadows. Other times I would gallop through the surf at the seashore. Unbounded adventures.
I love that! I have a rowing machine that could be used in the same kind of way!
Always enjoy your musings...and this one was no exception. Having art supplies available can be a wonderful way to encourage play. And if you're not artistic, sometimes the coloring books can be fun, and you can hardly turn those into WORK! lol
Thank you! I have lots of supplies, lol, but I get to serious with them too. Working on it!
me too...also working on it...lol
This is a perennial question for me, ever since I read research years ago on how adults “play” and its link to flow states. For me, that’s play. Since I’m a mom and an engaged aunt, many people automatically assume that play for me means getting on the floor with Legos or engaging in imaginary play. But honestly, while I enjoy that connection with kids, that kind of play bores me to tears. It’s my own flow states that do it for me—writing, playing music, long walks or hikes, being lost in a wonderful book in front of a fire on a cold day …
I admit I do well with small kids at really dropping into the moment. I'm working on letting flow happen in these other places. The place it's easiest is when a bird comes close to me and I just have to be so still and present.
That's a beautiful feeling. I thought of some others -- skiing, for example. I really love skiing.
Everyone's so different with kids, it's funny. I realized early on that being my kids' playmate was not going to be my strength!
So this begs the question - if I can be playful with other things, will they end up being "in flow" too? Some things it comes naturally with but can it come with others? I know for sure I can screw up the flow of otherwise flow-inducing activities by overthinking and trying to hard.
That seems like . . . an idea to play around with ;)
We're friends with a family that LOVES games. There's one family member who is just masterful at making board games of any kind a ton of fun. Especially if it's something like the Werewolf game -- especially if we're all camping together -- that requires players to engage in a lot of pretend. Playing games like that without him is kind of fun, but mostly because we're reminded of how *much* fun he makes them. He has a talent for bringing just about anyone into the flow of the thing together, a talent I definitely do not have.
Oh I love this. My brother-in-law's grandmother was like that. I always found her amazing. She had a hard life, her husband was killed in a store robery when she was pregnant with her second son, yet by the time I knew her (in her 70s I imagine) she was just like this light that was such a joy to be around.
Oh my gosh that is quite a story. What a human she must have been!
You are incredible! I love the climbing thing and the "environment" you created for it. And as your father built it, it's obvious the creative "apple" didn't fall from the tree! :-) You might consider teaching-toy development as a second hustle! But then it wouldn't be play anymore! :-( Anecdote: When I was in PT for the tendonitis, I noticed my therapist, Kat, had a dart board on her wall. I asked if that was something she used for her patients. She laughed and said, No, that was her own toy that she uses when she needs to take a break from the concentration and patience she needs to deal with people who are working hard to overcome physical limitations accompanied with intense pain. It was her way to "lighten up" so would later be more relaxed and effectively and authentically there for her patients. She found that when she engaged in some personal play time, she made the work she asked her patients to do more positively playful as well. So play is far from "wasted" frivolous time, it appears! It's time well spent for the player and those they serve.
Lol - yep, there you go making play into work. I'm expert at that! :) I LOVE the idea of a dart board!
Lovely essay as always. I have that Wayne Dyer quote up on the wall in my office. Amazing what our perception can do to guide us.
For certain! Thank you