Playfulness is a calling to our creativity and potential.
Show Notes - Journal Jam #8
Dear friends,
What I love about Journal Jam is that I usually start the session with a rough idea of how the conversation will flow, yet we always turn down unexpected passageways that end up totally shattering my initial idea of the topic.
Sunday was a case in point. I assumed a conversation about playfulness would inherently cast "seriousness" as a villain. Yet Felixe immediately flipped this on its head, asking "What's so bad about being serious?"
As an over-thinker, I've come to view seriousness as a personal flaw that should be overcome by cultivating its more likeable counterpoint - playfulness. But as we chatted over the frustrations of being on the other end of a class clown, of feeling like you're not taken seriously, of deflecting difficult conversations with humour, we realised seriousness can be a beautiful thing.
Maybe we should reframe "taking things seriously" as "being invested", "caring" or "giving a shit". A playful reframe on seriousness!
Still, during this challenging time in my life, I'm finding that playfulness can a helpful antidote to the feelings of helplessness and frustration that I'm dealing with. In cloudy moments, I ask myself "How can I move through this experience with a playful spirit?" This mantra feels like a calling to my inner capacity for creativity and curiosity. It's my reminder to stay open-minded, to drop my ego and to seek new perspectives. As I'm discovering, unexpected opportunities are latent in even the darkest days.
Playfulness as a creative counterbalance.
Overwhelm, self-doubt, worry and indecision. Playfulness can be a healthy counterbalance to the very human feelings that often plague us. By dropping the weight of our own expectations and allowing ourselves to make mistakes, a playful mindset can help us respond to our challenges in more creative ways. When we're stuck in a habitual way of thinking about the world, allowing room for curiosity and experimentation can help us find new perspectives, reframes and alternatives. Better yet, we might even have fun in the process! What area of your life could use a healthy dose of playfulness?
Silliness loves safety.
It’s all well and good to want more playfulness in our lives, but as Felix noted, silliness needs safety. We agreed that playfulness seems to flourish when we have a sense of psychological safety, a calm nervous system and a compassionate inner voice. That might be why creativity thrives in open, non-judgemental communities (like this one!) It's worth asking, what gets in the way of playfulness for you? What conditions do you need to access your playful side?
Getting seriously playful.
Given the benefits of a curious mindset, shouldn't we take playfulness more seriously? Personally, my self-important tendencies run strong, so I have to be kinda disciplined if I want to retain a sense of lightness. That means regularly stepping back from my perceived problems and actively searching for healthy reframes. I also find certain practices (music, yoga, dancing, nature, art) keep me light-hearted, grounded and open-minded. Do you have any practices, people or places that enhance your natural connection to curiosity and creativity?
Reflection prompts:
Finish this sentence: "Wouldn't it be amazing if..." Be unrealistic! Wishful thinking is a powerful cognitive tool to explore hidden desires and unexpected possibilities.
Make a list of 25 experiences you’d love to try for the first time. Go crazy, nothing is off limits. Now, read back and highlight your top 5. How could you move towards these experiences in the next six months?
Until next time, happy journaling and thanks for being a part of this experiment. I've loved sharing many enriching conversations with you all this year.
With love,
Alex
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
Albert Einstein