10 Mar How to find joy through play as an adult
Joy and play are too often seen as frivolous or as time wasters.
But Positive Psychology research clearly suggests otherwise; fun and play are important contributors to health and happiness, wellbeing and even longevity.
So, if you’re looking to boost your happiness and wellbeing then check out this article that focuses on how to find (create?) more joy in your life …
via Positive News by Trudy Meehan
As adults, we don’t always have the time to play or be playful. But be it a dance class or a visit to the museum, making space for play can be the key to finding joy in our everyday life
Becoming an adult often seems to mean leaving play behind. The term “adulting” refers to doing things that are joyless, boring and tiresome – the opposite of play. But we can embrace adulthood while still finding joy through play and being playful.
You might not realise it, but when you swing in your chair, slip off in an imaginative daydream, play sport for fun and not just to win, try something new that you are comfortable to fail at, laugh at a joke with a friend, read a book for pleasure or make something that doesn’t need to be judged or perfect, you are playing.
Play is an activity that we choose to do because we want to do it – it is never forced. Play is low stakes, and we do it because it feels good. What’s more, play and playfulness is good for us. Even thinking about times we were playful can increase our wellbeing.
Play helps us to be able to think through possibilities so that we can anticipate outcomes and respond more creatively. It helps us react flexibly and without excessive fear to situations we find threatening. Play allows us to engage in trial and error learning, to do something and get it wrong.
As a child you might have climbed a tree when you were playing. Climbing a tree allows us to think through possible next steps: which branch next, will it hold my weight, what will I do if it breaks? It also puts us in situations where we need to react flexibly: if there’s an imaginary bear chasing me up the tree, what should I do to escape?
Play is good for us
Positive emotions such as joy from playing increase our capacity to learn. Positive emotions help us be more open-minded, and support us as we learn new skills and develop new ways of seeing things. With these additional resources, we are more likely to be motivated to engage in new activities and social relationships.
In short, play increases joy and decreases distress.
One of the most critical functions of play is to help our social development. It gives us a space to interact with others in positive ways. Play is our direct route to social joy.
In short, play increases joy and decreases distress. Research with university students found that those who were “playful” – those who, for instance, acted spontaneously and joked around – had lower levels of perceived stress than their less playful counterparts. By increasing positive emotions, playfulness helps us cope with stress and improve life satisfaction.
Here are a few tips to help you find joy through play …
… keep reading the full & original article HERE