Play!
Reconnect with the joy of learning.
Hello my friends!
Today, I’m asking you to take a trip down memory lane. WAY far back to when you were a toddler or maybe the early days of schooling. Try to recall one of the first times you were excited to try something new, like writing your name or coloring with crayons. Resist jumping ahead to the outcome, as in the reactions you received from others. I want you to stay in that space where you are simply doing something because you want to.
Now I want you to remember what it felt like as you were doing this activity, before its completion. You probably won’t recall your thoughts, but you can probably remember what you were feeling. Maybe a bit of curiosity or pride?
This post invites you to recapture that childlike feeling of discovery.
The Art of Playing
For a few weeks now, I’ve been messing around on-and-off with GarageBand. I felt like my attempts were unproductive. I was looking for a clear step-by-step process for song building. YouTube tutorials were helpful in understanding how to navigate the app up to a point but, overall, my expectations turned every session into frustration.
One morning I finally told myself, “fuck around and find out.” In other words, just play. Within one hour I had pieced together a basic tune.
What changed?
Instead of the growth curve feeling like a chore or a hurdle, I started having fun!
Is what I made “good”? Hell no. Does that matter? Also no.
What’s important is how I feel about it. Every baby step is a micro-dose of pride and confidence. The point isn’t to produce a hit song; the point is to understand and connect with the process. The point is to want to keep trying and learning.
This revelation also reminded me of something else I’d previously heard online…
Learning is accelerated and better retained by emotional attachment.
Let your brain chew on this for a minute. How many of us learned to prioritize others’ emotional needs over our own? If you’re like me, you don’t just have to unlearn that, you need to replace that strategy. One way to begin is to revisit how we originally began learning.
According to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), play: encourages emotional development and resilience, boosts self-confidence, fosters imagination and creative thinking as well as problem-solving, promotes social development and more1.
Emotional reactions cause a lot of the hangups we form during formative years (imposter syndrome anyone?). Because of this a lot of us have unnecessarily entangled our performance fears with the learning process. We’re afraid of failure, of what other people will think and even our own inner critics. Perhaps, if we can untie those twisted knots by (re)embracing discovery, this could alleviate the doubts that hold us back. Giving ourselves the freedom to experiment and have fun reconnects us to that elusive inner child.
How to Play
We need to figure out what fulfills us emotionally. Depending on how playful you are currently, comfortably loosening the reins of adulthood could take some time. Be patient with yourself and don’t forget that baby steps are still progress.
Suggested guidelines:
Use goals as guideposts to direct learning but focus on discovery.
Encourage messing up. Notice what happens, try again.
Find like-minded playmates!
Pay as much attention to how you are feeling as to what you are accomplishing.
As I always say, mindset is everything, but sometimes you have to stop mulling over the how and get to doing. So get out there and play!
Storytime!
Share one small, joyful moment of discovery or experimentation—recently or from childhood. Drop it in the comments and tell us how it felt. Your story might encourage someone else to start playing again.
If you enjoy the ride and want to help fuel further creativity, please consider…
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Thanks for reading! ☮️💖🤘🏼
On my physical activity app, they are trying to get me to go skipping, like a kid. I promised I would try, but only out in the woods where nobody can see 🙈
I've taken up whittling. Not always with purpose but very relaxing regardless.