A Note From Coach

What if play wasn’t just something we did with our kids?

What if it was something we genuinely add to our life to better it in ways that even we don’t understand?

As a woman who is a naturally boisterous and “extra” human being, I am often looked at like I’m crazy when I’m heard laughing across a room or not being afraid to show up as my full self.

I used to think that this was me being “too much” but what if I just lived in a crowd that was not enough?

I have survived the unthinkable in my past and I still laugh and tell the story of it. Not because it was easy or I enjoyed it. Hell, half the time I was ready to take the Remington retirement plan as an option but because I don’t allow those stories to define my life.

I define my life by how much joy I am feeling. Even when I have $7 to my name and I’m not quite sure what I want to do with my life, if I’m having fun and taking active steps forward? I am the happiest girl in the world. Why?

Because I’m not afraid to play.

Whether it’s my ridiculous morning dance parties, or the fact that I turn everything into a tv show in my brain, or even my incessant need to find the fun in everything, I have somehow mastered the art of being myself through play.

Studies have shown that play lowers cortisol and triggers endorphins which ultimately lead to more relaxation and improved sense of wellbeing. It also creates opportunities for co-regulation and ultimately helps regulate our nervous system faster than most things on the market.

And with a society that’s fixated on regulating our nervous systems, why wouldn’t we want to take advantage on something that could be as simple as trying to say bubbles in an angry voice?

George Bernard Shaw once said “We don’t stop playing because we grow up. We grow up because we stop playing.”

If the man who wrote Pygmalion knew this, why don’t we embrace it more?

Now you don’t have to be as silly as I am (although I highly recommend it). You could add play in doing the things that you enjoyed as a child. Whether it’s watching your favorite childhood show or running around your yard or even just laying on the ground, you could access a much healthier life.

If you’re not sure where to start, I’d love to help.