Power of Play
Play is powerful in reducing stress and connecting you to the present. We live in a time and culture when escapism through connecting to technology appears to be what many people do to reduce stress. With the use of play, stress is reduced by connecting to people. It connects us to each other and to present activity. Try playing checkers with someone and thinking about who is liking your post on social media. You can’t do it.
As adults, the epidemic of loneliness is more intense. Adulting is hard and many feel like taking time to truly connect with people is time wasted. When the exact opposite is true, it has immense value. One of the ways it can show its value is when we use that time with others to play. However, most people play less as they age. The seriousness of life overshadows the pull towards play.
Remember when you were a kid; you couldn’t wait for your chores to be done so that you could resume play. By play I mean, doing something enjoyable, preferably with someone else. Now you can’t wait for your job to finish so you can run to your favorite Netflix series or your favorite online pursuit.
For most people play meant fun and fellowship. It meant that you were engaged with someone else as you cooperated to do something (play ball or jump rope) together, or you competed and challenged yourself to win in a game of cards, checkers, or chase. Regardless of whether it is a cooperative endeavor or one where there is a prize for the winner, you know you will have fun.
The feelings that were elicited during the actual activity of play were long-lasting. The good feeling and camaraderie allowed you to disconnect from the present problems and be present in the activity. If the play involved others, it also met your need for socialization.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stopped playing.”
The removal of play from our lives as we age pulls us away from many of its benefits some of which are:
· Stress reduction
· Creativity activation
· Relationship improvement
· Cognitive strengthening
If you have been feeling lonely lately or feeling disconnected, come back to play. Playing more will contribute to your overall well-being and quality of life in many ways. What are some ways you can incorporate more play into your day?
For some quick ideas to get you started https://www.npr.org/2023/08/18/1194134421/fun-things-to-do-cheap?ck_subscriber_id=296294822 Or you can join a club such as the 40 Plus Double Dutch to find friends to play with.
To read more from me you can visit my Substack https://allisonbonilla.substack.com/ or better yet, just get out there and play!
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12