Super Soakers, Beanie Babies and of course the Home Alone-made-famous Talkboy were some of my favorite toys growing up— when you’re young, FUN is the name of the game. As a little girl navigating a big world, and unfortunately, a lot of school bullying, it would have been monumental to have the "I CAN BE ANYTHING" affirmation for children. The opportunity to come home and pull a card when I was feeling sad after some tough interactions at school would have definitely cheered me up and gotten me feeling playful again. I imagine how well-adjusted I would have been if I had learned mindfulness practices as a child, rather than in my late 20's. I overheard a mom recently saying to her two kids “Go Play," and I grinned reflecting on childhood, when my biggest responsibility was figuring out how I wanted to play each day. The possibilities were endless and for me, I was always drawn to creating art, catching frogs or dressing up and pretending I was a famous singer as I belted out my favorite songs.
The incredible thing is, I personally haven’t strayed very far from a playful lifestyle and now with my main focus being Little Luminaries, a mindfulness toy company, my “work” feels like play (most of the time).
Unfortunately, I've learned through my research a lot of adults just don't feel very playful a majority of the time.
On an online scavenger hunt about the topic of playfulness, I came across a bunch of articles comparing the amount of laughter that is experienced by kids verse adults.
“Children laugh more frequently each day than adults. Some reports indicate that children laugh an average of 300 times per day, while adults get in less than 20.” (Sprague-Smith, Marilyn, M.Ed. C’mon, Let’s Laugh. The North Carolina Journal for Women.)
Think about that stat for a second...
How often are YOU belly laughing? Do you get a good dose of "the giggles" everyday?
If not... why? Do you feel you won’t be as credible if you are silly and connected to your inner child?
Are you taking life too seriously?
“Laughter is a sunbeam of the soul.”
— Thomas Mann
I'm so curious about when and why we lose that childlike wonder and playful charisma, especially with laughter having such a phenomenal impact on our health. It's a natural pain killer, it soothes stress, boosts your immune system and overall creates feelings of happiness. Just to name a few benefits. But maybe you're wondering, "how do I create positive changes in my day to day routines to stimulate more laughter?"
Play is defined as doing something self directed, done for pure enjoyment with room for creativity and imagination.
Here are a 4 of my favorite ways to sprinkle in more play into my day!
DANCE! I start my day dancing with my hubby- we choose a high vibe song and with every twirl my heart sings and we begin to giggle and shake our bods in silly ways.
FLOW STATE! I make time for flowstates- I create time for creativity everyday.... whether that’s painting, gardening, photography, ... anything that gets me out of my head and into the moment.
GET OUT! I go on a walk or hike with my pup Mowgli - getting outside and soaking in the rejuvenating vibes of the wild totally shifts my state to feel more relaxed, grounded and connected.
INNOVATION! Instead of just making food, put on a fun tune and wiggle your way around the kitchen while you cook up a scrumptious meal. Gotta clean the house? Dance until everything, including you, sparkles! Clearly dancing is a big part of my daily-- and remember it's not about what it looks like, it's how it feeeeeeels! There are so many ways to spice up your life! Choose to be inspired and design your day in a fun way.
How are you feeling called to play today?
Big Bear Hugs, Krissy FUNflower ;)
