Play Your Way Back to Calm
When did we stop playing? Stop having fun just to have fun? When did playing with putty and blowing bubbles become too “childlike”?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot this week. It started with a client session where I talked about blowing bubbles. I was sharing it as an example of a micro-break so that they could weave in more rest during their day. My point was that it’s hard to be stressed out or overthinking when you are blowing bubbles.
Plus, it’s fun to do.
Then, someone brought up “thinking putty” in a session on Friday. And I pulled out my sparkly Crazy Aaron’s thinking putty which is always nearby. A bunch of people on the call were oohing and aahing….and I thought to myself….I wouldn’t have had these things nearby a few years ago.
Here’s the thing though…I would have wanted to have them and play with them…in a meeting or outside of it. But something would have held me back. I may not have thought it but deep down, I was thinking they were childlike and/or what would people think if I “played” with them?
What’s even more interesting is that I may have had them around and “played” with them on calls here and there but…in the back of my mind (or deeper inside) I would have felt sub-conscious and wouldn’t fully let myself enjoy them.
Ooof. That thinking took me a few years to unravel.
And now? I don’t put the word play in quotation marks. I just play. I blow bubbles after client calls to reset. I use thinking putty on calls and outside of them. I proudly shared both during the Friday session I was on too.
I enjoy both of these things and I no longer think they are childlike. Yes, children use them but why can’t adults? Both are ways to relax, destress and tap into presence and joy. I mean, every adult I know could use a little (or a lot!) more of that in their lives.
Plus, I know that we are more calm, creative and clear when we step back from our work for a bit. When we give ourselves a break. And that’s not just me talking. There is a lot of research that shows the value of breaks and what it does for our stress levels, our ability to focus and so much more. (I promise to share more of those studies and insights soon!)
So, grab your bubble wand, your coloring book (mine comes out on September 22!), your thinking putty (or Silly Putty…is that still around?) and take a breath or two. And just have some fun. That’s right. I’m giving you permission to play like a kid.
Curious to know more about my upcoming coloring book? It’s called Color Me Unplugged and it’s 50 abstract patterns that I sketched from photos I took in nature.
Sign up to get the launch alert on Sept 22, bonus monthly coloring pages, and a chance to join the Launch Team: Color Me Unplugged Launch Alert!
I’ll be sharing more about my process soon…and will send the behind the scenes video to anyone on the launch alert list but for now, you can read a bit about it here.
Oh, and need some recommendations for bubbles or putty? I’ve put a few of my faves below!
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.