SUNSHINE AURA – self-esteem. self-love. self-actualization. 

As I write this Monday morning, I am coming off a weekend that was full of fun and adventure. I took a free walking tour in my city, visited a historic house owned by a woman far ahead of her time, strolled through a beautiful farm in the valley, and headed into the mountains for an epic view and to learn about a prominent frontiersmen/showman. The entire weekend felt like being a kid again. Staying fully present to appreciate the beauty of everything I saw, expanding my mind to take in all the fun, new info I was learning, and simply just enjoying the experience of being on an adventure.

I realized this past weekend that I don’t play enough. And by play, I mean doing stuff for the sole purpose of enjoyment. When is the last time you did something, purely for the fun of it? Nothing too hedonistic or reckless. Just carving out time to do something new, visit a museum, play a video game you love, read a book, take a day trip for a hike. If it has been a while, I encourage you to make space today – even if only fifteen minutes – to do at least one thing you enjoy, just for the fun of it.

As adults, it is so easy to ignore play and to forget its value. When we play, we are more open to the world around us. We are happier. We are present. We gain confidence. We are given some of our power back. We imagine and create in ways we might have forgotten how to do on the way to adulthood. I think this devaluing of play starts around the time we hit middle school. For starters, wanting to play becomes uncool. Our parents start encouraging us to focus more on our studies and get serious about life, looking ahead toward college and eventually our adult lives. Play gets lost in the shuffle of growing responsibilities and the pressures to fit in socially. We never lose our ability or desire to play, though. It can certainly be discarded to the side, but I don’t think it ever fully is extinguished. That longing bubbles to the surface when we get overwhelmed with stress. That quiet desperation to just get out and get away, to do something, anything different, is really a desire to let go. Play should not merely be used as a distraction, though, or as a remedy when we are pushed to the edge. It should be incorporated into our daily experience, like taking a multivitamin or drinking your water. Incorporating play can keep us healthy and defend a bit better against stress.

We may be amazing humans, but we need time to just have fun and enjoy our lives, too. You are not here to simply be a worker bee. You are here to enjoy, create, laugh, love, and connect. Life is meant to be lived and not merely survived. This week, I want you to think about how you can add more play to your life, and reflect on the value it brings. Below are a few journal prompts to help get you started.

Journal prompts:

1. How do you feel when you play? Does play make it easier for you to be present?
2. How do you like to play?
3. Where/How can you incorporate play into your day? Can you set aside specific time to just be in the moment?
4. How do you feel after devoting time to play?
5. What value do you see in prioritizing play in your life?

Cheers to another week, and I hope you do at least one or two things you really enjoy, just for the fun of it!

With love,

Kayla