“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” ~ Apple Computers
In this rapidly changing world we live in, the wisdom of play has a lot to offer. Play invites a new kind of leader, a new way of engaging others, a new way of teamplay, and a new way of creating possibilities for everyone from our children to the community at large.
“Play is training for the unexpected.” ~ Marc Bekoff
Play teaches us to:
- Hold ourselves lightly
- Open to the new and unconventional
- Adapt to the unpredictable
- Innovate beyond the status quo
- Expand our creative mind to new possibilities
- Find creative solutions in unconventional ways
- Embrace uncertainty and change
- Take risks to try on new ideas, and new ways of being
- Be curious and engage life more fully in the moment
- Hold less attachment to ideas, agendas or the perceived “right” way
- Connect to our intuition, a deeper place of wisdom beyond logic
- Connect to a world beyond our limited self and allow the mystery of life and all its potential to unfold more easily
Play is a simple and powerful catalyst for successful and joyful living.
Other benefits include:
- Inspiring others versus fixing or managing them
- Increased proactive (and less reactive) decision making
- Creating positive potentials versus removing negative ones
- Enhanced communication, creativity and collaboration
- Willingness to take risks, think outside the box, try something new
- Compassion for yourself and others
- Willingness to trust oneself and others
- Self-awareness and authentic self-expression
- Body aliveness, vitality and stress release
- Releasing limiting beliefs
- Increased capacity to let go of control and flow with life
- Levity, peace of mind and joy
Next time you catch yourself telling others (or yourself) to work at something (such as a creative project or being assertive), invite them them to play with it instead. What would be the difference for you?
Laughter is an important part of Remembering to Play.
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” ~ Victor Hugo
Health Benefits of laughter include:
- Reduced stress
- Lowered blood pressure
- Boosted immune system
- Improved brain functioning
- Protection from heart disease
A statistic to consider: Cardiac care units where the nurses’ general mood was depressed had a death rate among patients four times higher than on comparable units where nurses were happy. (Schneider, 1995)
The moral of the story is that if you are having a heart attack, go to a hospital where nurses are happy!
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Related reading:
The Languge of Play
6 Ways to Live a Playful Life
3 Stages of Play
14 Play Values
From Work to Play
Related Training:
Remembering to Play ~ Inspiring Joy, Freedom & Self-Care
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