play – SUNBEAM ACRES

To watch spring unfold is to see the earth smile after its long nap.

-Author Unknown

Do you know how to play? I have learned the importance of play and what it does for my nervous system. In this post I offer suggestions of forms of play. Caution for my chronic comrades regarding play. How to incorporate play into our already busy lives. Why play continues to be important for us as adults. Followed by a tribute to Mother Nature for Mother’s Day. Finally I’ll introduce you to my cousin Kate.

Think back, what did play look like for you as a kid?

Then, make sure you are subscribed to the blog. We are changing things up for an opportunity I have upcoming. How my business runs will be significantly altered and I am so excited to share it all with you. Stay tuned for that!

Kefi: Celebrating the Essence of Life and Joy

Kefi is a Greek philosophy. According to kefiyoga.com, “kefi is an overpowering emotion you have when you completely let go in the moment, release inhibition, and allow yourself to joyfully feel the life pulsing through your body and soul.”

What creates this type of feeling in you? Before learning the type of living described by the Greek philosophy of kefi, I enjoyed things. But I didn’t recognize the life fulfillment and easing of symptoms I would experience in truly celebrating life and joy.

From Playgrounds to Paperwork: When Did Fun Take a Backseat?

Art, music, dancing, there was a time that these were top-priority areas to develop. Now they are skills in which to work and succeed at high levels only. We do them to get good at them not because it is something our soul needs to do. As a career choice they are absurd. So say the masses.

Balancing Act: The Cost: Benefit Ratio of Playing, While In Chronic Pain

For most people, play is an energy giver. When you are low on energy, introducing play into your daily activities can be a great idea. But as a chronic comrade we have to do a little more thinking and planning ahead. This is where I think of play in a cost: benefit ratio. There is a cost every time we rise from bed or take an outing in our world. Play is one area that I encourage you to find a way. I hope you find a way to play where the cost is worth the benefit that comes from it. We should all be so lucky.

👆🏼Sometimes this is the best we can do, is it worth the pain👆🏼 I have some things that are.

This is my form of play. I enjoy wearing this goofy helmet cover and making people laugh. Some of my favorite reactions are from dogs that don’t know what to think. Moms that laugh and try to get their teens to laugh. *said teen looks up from phone, emotionless expression engaged, looks back down.* Little old ladies laugh out loud. People who see and laughter erupts from them. This is play to me.

Also this 👇🏼. We aren’t there quite yet this year, but my lake looks ready to play. I went to check it out on Saturday.

Playtime Hosts: From Board Games to Bad Decisions

We don’t all have the same play styles as adults. Makes sense since as kids we had different play styles too. Here are some adult play styles I have witnessed.

Kinesthetic- we all know the guy that gets so excited when things are fun that they start sensory seeking. I am married to that guy @saskmunk . He put his knees through the ceiling of a buddy’s place while swinging down the stairs. He slid down a sand hill scraping his entire back up. He flipped for the crowd and broke a rib. He has calmed down in his old age. Do you enjoy a kinesthetic play style?
Competitor- How about a friendly-not-so-friendly board game or sport? This is so far from my play style it makes me uncomfortable. Perhaps because of the one I grew up with that claimed this style. @carrierice134 If this is you, lean into it. Be courteous and all, but find other people who like to test their limits against the skills of someone else. Be competitive!
Creator- When you have an art room and love all things art, you fit perfectly in the creator play style. @soulfullifebyamanda Whether it is with paints, rocks, doodles, words, the options are endless. You are constantly seeing ways to enhance the world around you.
Joker- As long as it is not at someone else’s expense, I am all for jokes. I heard someone say. The Tickle Me Elmo was a good example of how to make someone laugh and to laugh along. We don’t pick up the Elmo and just laugh at him. That’s not funny. Not until the other guy is laughing. See if this one works for you. Text another joker at 7am and say you are on your way to their place. When you have no plans with them. Just to make their day a little more fun. 😆 My father in law is front of mind when I think of this type of play and fun.
Director- You know who you are. You love to lead. You love to come up with the idea and have others follow along. Sometimes it’s your little sister. Who is taller than you, louder than you, and you are just a little bit scared of her. @kristajulseth Don’t hide your strengths! Be bold with those who want to follow. I am one who likes to be guided. To each her own.
Storyteller- Gather your tribe. And share your stories. The best stories are filled with laughter. The first thing I noticed about my friend Sharla is that she tells stories with her whole heart and hands. @sharlaboehme I love that about her. Or you can gather your stories and share in a unique way. I filled photo albums with pictures of my boys as they grew. And goofy stories of what they did when they were young. They are a gift treasured by both grandmas that received them.
Introverted experience- this will take many shapes, for those who enjoy a quiet space. It looks different from other types of play. Possibilities include collecting and exploring, perfect things to do in Forest Therapy! For this I gotta go with my other, other sister. @lmfinch51 is the queen of enjoying an introverted experience. We can all learn from her!

What type of play most resonates with you? Think about that type of play and how to incorporate it into work times and rest times. As you peruse the rest of this post.

Work, Meet Playtime; Playtime, Meet Work

When you are at work, you owe your time and your skills to your employer. I do not want to suggest that we should slack off or be dishonest about our work time. I propose that there is a way to incorporate play in a way that will check both boxes. If you are a telemarketer, see if you can casually bring up a random word you and a co-worker choose. If you drive deliveries, create a playlist that will rock your world and keep adding to it. In your rest hours, you will have more options.

Why Adults Should Play: A List of Compelling Reasons

Why is play so important? We know kids will learn things way faster if we incorporate play into their day. Can it still benefit us as adults? The answer is a resounding YES! Here is my top ten list of reasons why play continues to be important as adults.

Play encourages creative thinking and boosts problem-solving skills
Play can improve physical health as there is usually movement involved
Play helps us practice using good communication skills, to keep it fun we work together
Play increases resilience helping us see a more positive outlook
Play improves mood when dopamine is released (dopamine is our pleasure and reward hormone)
Play enhances learning by keeping us curious and engaged
Play can be a way to practice working together in our relationships and this can transfer to other arenas where we need those skills
Play is a way to strengthen our longevity, giving us a reason to keep going
Play has been shown in research to increase productivity, those encouraged to take a short break and engage in play came back more focused
Play amplifies our quality of life. When we take time to play in any area of interest, life becomes a little more sweet.

Latin lesson for the week. That I realize I have no business giving but this is what google says. It resonates with me as a chronic comrade, so I will share. In Latin, Audere est Facere means “To do is to dare”. Where can you apply this principle? Dare to play! Dare to laugh! Dare to rise! It’s good for you.

Mother Nature: The Ultimate Caregiver

This week as we prepare for Mother’s Day, I think of my mother and grandmothers. My sisters and friends that are mothers and all those that have a mothering heart. Another mother that I recently recognized for her mothering attributes, is mother nature. How can you allow mother nature to nurture you as a mother would this week and through the year?

Her Sunlight provides vitamin D, energy and regulation of sleep patterns

Her Plants provide nourishment and healing, reducing stress and anxiety

Her Water cleanses, hydrates, and relaxes.

Her Bird’s Songs lower cortisol, and encourage mindfulness.

Her Trees purify the air, boost immunity and calm anxiety.

If you are still overwhelmed or unsure of how to get started, meet Kate @mate8219. I have a cousin named Kate. She is one of the best examples of play to me. She still has a contagious aura of fun when we gather our crew. I appreciate her example of joy. It makes me want to be better. Let’s all be a little more like Kate and see ways to play in our work and rest times.

Lesson I’ve Learned From Kate To Get You Started:

Laugh- laughter really is one of the best forms of medicine, Kate has THE best laugh, find times and places, and people to laugh with, watch something that makes you giggle
Play with kids/grandkids- this one is my favorite, even when he puts a rib out, it was worth the cost, follow them and see what makes them come alive, I remember following Kate as a little one
Stay curious- our kids are great examples of this, they don’t decide they know and close their mind, they stay open and filled with wonder and curiosity
Try something new- a dance, a blog, a recipe, anything that speaks to you, Kate is always the first one to jump on a chance to try something new and exciting
Creative endeavors- we all need a creative outlet, what will yours be? will it be incorporated in your play for the day? maybe singing into a karaoke mic whatever comes to mind (that’s what Kate does 😉).

As my mother always said in this type of weather, now go outside and find something to play!

My favorite weather is bird chirping weather.

-Terri Guillemets

My two year old grandson was happily playing in the yard. I was happily watching him. I love to see how his little mind works. And in this particular instance I got to see a bit of myself in him as he struggled.

He has a little cart that he pushes around. He was attempting to go around the patio table. In his way were the bags of bottles that I should have been returning to the depot instead of watching him play. It is so much easier to ignore the chores as ‘the grandma’ than it was as ‘the mom’.

At first he was frustrated but I sat back to see what he would figure out. He wandered away and then started moving the bags of recycling from one spot that was in his way to another spot that would be immediately next in his way. Of course his little 2yo brain couldn’t see this the way I could.

He was so calm and focused on the task at hand. I sat back to see how he would handle the upcoming challenge.

It was time. His little plan had been executed flawlessly. Now he was going back to attempt to push his cart through again. He was so happy. He got past where his path had previously been obstructed. Only to immediately be blocked. He saw his error. Panic ensued. His hands flew to his face and he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked at me with dismay in his eyes.

Of course I flew to his aid. We worked to put the bags in a better spot until the time Grandma stops playing and gets to the bottle depot. He grabbed his cart and around he went.

How often do we try something and when it doesn’t work the way we expect we panic and stop trying? I have been guilty of this useless response many a time. My little grandson is still figuring things out. I don’t judge him for his response. But I saw so much of myself in it that I have been thinking about it since.

I have a good idea. It doesn’t go as planned. I panic. I stop. I give up.

Good ideas are the way to start. Planning to watch it fall apart might also be the process going perfectly. It is over this period that you get to see what is working and what isn’t.

I applied this to my perceived progress as a human being. I am always trying to improve but when it doesn’t go as planned I often feel a surge of stress leaving me in a bundle of singed nerves. The improving is timely and correct. The not going as planned is timely and correct. The only thing going wrong that I have control over is that surge of stress. I can control the surge by controlling my thoughts around my circumstances.

Maybe this is how the sequence should go. Attempt one. Utter and abrupt failure. Thoughts. ‘Well that didn’t go well’. ‘Maybe I should adjust.’ Attempt two. Less abrupt but still utter failure. Thoughts. ‘I have learned how to avoid some of the pitfalls. What do I still have to learn?’ And so on. The wording may seem elementary but it gets me pointed in a different direction.

Dr Daniel Gilbert said, “Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re finished. The person you are right now is as transient, as fleeting and as temporary as all the people you’ve ever been.”

I am trying to remember in my moments of panic. When I realize I have done something wrong/ stupid/ careless, that this is part of the human experience. And it is passing and fleeting. And EVERYBODY gets things wrong at times. We are all disasters trying to look like we have it all together.

If you can see the humor in your error, even better! But all in good time, the subtle art of laughing at one’s self is taking it to the next level.

Some of your efforts are going to tank. And that, my dear friends, is actually things going perfectly. Make adjustments. Try again.

So much of my time growing up was spent worrying that I was doing things “wrong” and that someone might see. Much of my young adult life was spent hoping nobody would notice I had no idea how to be a mom. I have spent so much of my time in chronic pain thinking I must be doing it “wrong” because I’m not getting better. I can’t get to a plateau of healthy like everyone else.

I just kept feeling wrong!

Until I found healing in the forest. This, I know how to do intuitively.

“For beauty give me trees with the fir on” -Henry David Thorough

Being in the forest increases feelings of awe, wonder and gratitude. In the forest we can relax the overworked brain and just be. There is no wrong here. The only thing that has to be done is to take your next breath. And unwind. Soften. You can let go here, the forest has your back.

When things in life go awry, take a moment, and when you are ready, make the next plan, schedule the next attempt, put yourself back into the arena regardless of the possible flop.

And remember to have fun with it!

I absolutely agree with Sarah Ivens who says in her book Forest Therapy, “We need to be reminded of just how good puddle jumping and mud cake baking, tree climbing, squirrel chasing, blossom breathing, and forest foraging feel. Because nature really is the best medicine.”

Playing in the forest can prepare you to integrate play into your day. This can open your brain to overcoming the challenges you face. And when you see it as play, the challenge is more of a dare. I double dog dare you to spend time playing in nature this week. See if it helps your daily living.

If you need help finding ways to use the forest as your friend and guide, reach out to me on my contacts page.

The obstacles you face will always have an answer. It just might not be resolved at your first undertaking. Keep trying and take care out there.

Tag: play

Unlocking Joy: Embrace Play and Creativity