As you’ll hear in the audio, today’s message was inspired by an incredible, and equally horrifying book I’m listening to - Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation. I highly recommend it.
The book highlights how childhood is being rewired, and the dire consequences for kid’s mental health. While the core focus is on kids, the issues Haidt raises are just as universal for adults. Including, the pervasive, destructive nature of social media to our mental health.
One of my favorite antidotes he proposes was totally unexpected, and also something we can control right now.
PLAY.
More good ol’ fashioned unstructured play.
This got me thinking about how we’re often conditioned out of ‘playing’ as adults. We may blame the lack of play in our lives on busy schedules, or maybe we hold ourselves back out of fear of how we look while doing it. Regardless of what our excuses may be, they’re worth questioning.
Like all things, play is an intentional choice. It comes down to you. Will you get out of your own way, and allow yourself to laugh, find the bright side or even…be a little silly? If you have the guts to go for it, you may even inspire others to do the same.
I’ve found that last part, the being silly, has not only made life more fun, it’s actually helped me start embodying what feels like a truer version of myself. When we relinquish the grip, and let ourselves experience these little micro moments of fun, we re-gain access to our imagination, re-ignite our creativity, and touch new realms of possibility.
A Dare For The Week
Seek out play. Pursue it. Make it a priority. This can be something simple like enjoying an ice cream cone, or, if you want to really reconnect to childlike wonder and joy, grab some bubbles and watch people’s reaction when they see them. Now that is pure magic.
until next time,
kim
I’d love to work with you.
I offer a blend of communications, events, and spiritual work all with the intention of helping you connect with your intuition and create more purpose, meaning, and joy in work and life. To learn more, check out my site.
Right now, I’m particularly excited about helping people gather in intentional ways. I love co-creating experiences that center on my favorite topics: purpose, meaning and joy. If you have an event coming up, or you’ve been wanting to create something special, let’s get to work!
