What’s YOUR definition of play?
My question for you, if you feel inspired, is what attributes or criteria help you determine if you are playing, or in a state of play? What boxes do you check off where you can say, this is / was play for me?
Play – it doesn’t have to be taught out of us
The question I keep asking is “Can I play with this?” and “Is there anything I can’t play with?” And, I keep finding answers even in serious circumstances and with real life problems. It’s been a game changer for me.
Want to add a little more play into your life as an adult – at work? at home?
Play is often trivialized, however, it is a wonderful tool for learning, growth, self-development, connection, relationship, innovation, creativity and so much more. In some ways it can be thought of as a language. Here’s some resources to help you build a play practice ….
If a story was a marshmallow – here’s a game to keep in your back pocket
This is one of my very favorite games. In my life, this little game has now risen to the level of a practice! I’ve done it so often now that it is simply a part of my life. Here’s an example where I compare story(s) to marshmallows … this exercise of taking one thing and comparing it to another is wonderful for gaining perspective in a number of different ways. It’s a game with legs and you can bring it to your story work, the invitations that are presented to you in life, or you can use it to add a little humor to your day. It’s a great little learning tool to have in your back pocket.
When you play – does it mean you’re smiling?
When we think of play, we often imagine ourselves or someone smiling or laughing. But one of the first things I noticed when beginning my story work was that I could also feel sad, satisfied, lonely, happy, irritated, intrigued, frustrated, joyful, angry, curious, etc. while playing with stories. My emotions were real and yet if you’d asked me what I was feeling overall I would have said I was feeling playful …
Storytelling Tip # 9: Shadow Play
My shadow waves back at me as if to say hello. It beckons me to be playful, to stop and share, to consider and reflect, to become more open minded. Shadows are varying shades of grey, they are metaphorical, they follow you and they light the path. They are long and short. The distort and they eccentuate. Shadows ask us to drop assumptions, or see or do something new – they invite inspection.
Storytelling Tip #8: stories don’t have to have words
I’ll tell you the truth. I thought this picture was a bit of an embarrassment at the time I posted it, because it had no polish, no technique. But actually that is the point of it. We don’t have to know how to draw like “the artist” or paint...Storytelling Tip #6: Consider the listener within
When we tell stories we are listening too. I remember telling a personal story where every time I shared it I referenced coffee and how much I loved it. I was giving it up and had been for a while …
What is one thing leaders can do when life get serious?
Play. Because it opens the door to joy a moment at a time. I needed to play today! All the hand washing, cleaning, etc. was a little much this afternoon. Honestly, I was cleaning a freakn’ bag of red potatoes this afternoon. Who knew cleaning groceries before bringing them into the house could be a thing?
What color is joy?
What color is joy? What does it smell like? Taste like? Sound like? Feel like? How do we know joy? I imagine the answers are different for all of us …
