“Mom, let’s rough and tumble” as screams erupt from my 3-year-old daughter. My son eagerly joins in the tumble and the pile of body parts sprawled across the floor. Laughter and delight pour through the house as my daughter waits in anticipation for her next attack.
Play is defined by the Oxford dictionary as engaging in an activity for “enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” Play comes easily and naturally to the young, yet somewhere along the line, play can fall to the background for adults. Even with the multitude of benefits, including stress relief, increased happiness, and health benefits, it can become a thing to get to, after chores, obligations, and work are done.
As an adult, another barrier to play is the ability to identify what to do. Take a look back at your youth and remember what you did for play. All those made-up games and imaginative places you may have created that were for the sole purpose of enjoyment.
I remember building forts out of old sheets and creating a world of imagination. I also remember the thrill of receiving empty cardboard boxes to create and shape as I pleased. Without a desired outcome or specific purpose, our mind can create without boundaries or expectations.
Play can look different for everyone. For some, play can be hiking, biking, or canoeing, where others may view those activities as chores and obligations. Others may enjoy four-wheeling, motorcycling or fishing. What matters more are the physical and mental sensations that occur while engaging in your activity of choice.
Dr. Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play says, “Play as an adult can be as simple as daydreaming, flirting, comedy, dancing, storytelling, music, books, and art.”
Any activity that is focused on the actual experience and not a specific goal or outcome may be considered play. Find that playfulness and see what joys result from giving yourself permission to engage in play.
Each month a local mental health therapist will discuss an area of mental health. This months contributor is Kelly Senty, MA, LPCC. Kelly is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor working in private practice at Steps of Change LLC.
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