Wordology: Play and Work
This picture is from my friend Sandy who recently "played" with the dolphins.
This morning while I was walking on the beach, a small school of dolphins were doing just this...looked like surfing...they would ride inside the wave and after it crested hang out, jumping up then diving head first into the wave with their tail high in the air...then swimming a ways further down the beach and doing it again...and again.... Beautiful way to begin a day...Play...making our heart sing....when we are able to create then we are able to resolve challenges more easily. Play is a fun tool to help people dissolve challenges, explore creativity and enjoy life.
What picture do you have in your mind for play? For work? What if it was the same? What if you did what you loved? Wouldn't that be play? Many people have a pleasant picture in their mind about play and a not so pleasant picture about work.
Here are 2 options...
- find work that is fun and that you love so play is automatic
- work at something that is not fun and add play into your day
Either way, I recommend play in your day. If you're work doesn't make your heart sing, then begin looking for work that does. It's about finding your passion. Sometimes we use the words work and job interchangeably. Many times we have work we love but a job we don't. Sometimes we have the job thinking we can't find the work that makes are heart sing. Sometimes it's just our own perception. Passionate right work is about knowing what your purpose is and bringing your gifts and talents into the world. We get hung up on job titles and names of companies instead of just showing up fully and "being our work" no matter what our job...perhaps you are a teacher. Do you have to have a job that says you are a teacher? Can't you show up in whatever you do and share your knowledge, share your talent?
Have you played today? As adults, we have to remind ourselves to play. Play unlocks creativity. Play unlocks emotional and physical blocks. Play actually keeps us young...remember there is no old, only older. I recommend adding play to your daily list of things to do. See what happens. See how you lighten up. See how challenges dissolve. See how you become more creative and yes, see how good you feel. Having a better life today helps insure that your life at 100 will be better too. Your 100 year old self will thank you for learning to play every day.
