When Was the Last Time You Truly Played?
Sep 03, 2025
I’m not talking about smiling politely or pretending to have fun at a networking event. I mean real play. The kind that makes you forget to check your phone, that makes time dissolve, that lifts your chest like a deep breath you didn’t know you needed.
For me, it was dancing in my kitchen. No agenda, no audience, no choreography—just music, movement, and a whole lot of unfiltered joy. I was barefoot, still in my work clothes, twirling with a wooden spoon like I was headlining Madison Square Garden. It lasted maybe five minutes, but afterward I felt more grounded than I had all week.
We don’t need research to tell us that play heals—but in case you do, there’s plenty. Play has been shown to reduce stress, improve cognitive flexibility, and even boost immune functioning (Brown & Vaughan, 2009; Ginsburg, 2007). When adults engage in play, it enhances creativity, connection, and resilience. In other words: it’s not optional. It’s medicine.
And yet... most of us have forgotten how to play.
Somewhere between paying bills and managing responsibilities, we got the message that play is childish, inefficient, or indulgent. But here’s the truth: play is how we access presence. It’s a portal back to ourselves.
So if you haven’t played in a while, don’t worry. Your inner child didn’t go anywhere. They’re just waiting for permission.
Try This
1. Create a "Play List" (Not the Musical Kind)
Make a list of five things you used to love doing just for fun. No productivity, no purpose. Then choose one and do it this week—even for five minutes.
2. Schedule Play Like a Meeting
Put 15 minutes of unstructured fun on your calendar. Call it something official if you have to: "Creative Reset," "Joy Maintenance," or my personal favorite, "Spiritual Recess."
3. Let Your Body Lead
Movement is one of the fastest ways to reconnect with playful energy. Dance, stretch, bounce, shake it off. Let your body move without performance or perfection.
We often say we want peace, joy, and ease—but we forget that play is the doorway to all three. This blog is inspired by Cultivating Inner Peace. If it stirred something in you, the book goes even deeper. You can find it HERE.
References
Brown, S., & Vaughan, C. (2009). Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. Avery.
Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182–191.
