Natalie talks to us about adult play.
It can sometimes be difficult for us to find ways to feel positive. Many of us get lost in the daily stresses of life and we never seem to have time for good old fun.
Often as adults, we stop playing. We lose that fun loving, uninhibited side of us. We're more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in wild and unbridled fun. But just because we’re adults, that doesn't mean we have to take ourselves so seriously. We all need to play.
Play is not just essential for kids; it can be an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults as well. It can help trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel good chemicals, whilst playing board games or completing puzzles can help you learn new skills in a fun way and boost brain function and self-esteem. Sharing fun and playing with other people can help to improve relationships and strengthen connections.
Adult play is a time to forget about the stresses of life in an unstructured, creative way. Try scheduling 20 minutes for play every other day to begin with. Focus your play on the actual experience, not on accomplishing any goal. There doesn’t need to be any point to the activity beyond having fun and enjoying yourself. Notice how this feels.
Play could be;
• Simply dancing like no one is watching to your favourite tunes while singing into your hairbrush
• Messing about with friends
• Sharing jokes with a colleague
• Dressing up with your kids, perhaps letting them ‘do your make up’
• Playing with a dog, matching its excitable behaviour
• Board games, puzzles, colouring in and arts and crafts
• Going exploring on a bike ride with no destination in mind
• Turning off technology, getting wrapped up and going out to the park
Whether it be playing on your own, with your partner, friends, co-workers, pets, or children it is a sure (and fun) way to fuel your imagination, get in touch with your creativity and improve your problem-solving abilities and emotional well-being.
By giving yourself permission to play with joyful abandon, you can reap oodles of health benefits whilst keeping yourself feeling young and energetic (who needs anti-aging products, when you can just play?!) As George Bernard Shaw once said “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing”.
