When was the last time you had a good belly laugh?
When we grow up we get busy, we focus on work and family commitments and forget to make time for pure fun. What’s more, when we do find ourselves with some leisure time, we’re more likely to switch off in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children. But play is essential, and not just for kids!
Too often, somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stop playing.
When it comes to play, there doesn’t need to be any point to it beyond having fun and enjoying yourself.
Giving yourself permission to play has so many health benefits throughout life! Play can add joy to life, relieve stress and connect you to others and the world around you. Having fun can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well being and can even temporarily relieve pain. Pursuing fun activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function. Play can energise you and make you feel like the best version of yourself!
In the words of George Bernard Shaw,
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
So give yourself permission to play, do some thing you enjoy, do it for yourself and for no other reason than pure joy. Repeat.