This book never disappoints.  It’s a documented fact- or at least anecdotally documented- that this book will wake up your creative life.

As you can see, mine is well-worn.  Pages have scribbles, scratches, bended corners, tears, margin quotes, pen bleeding through sheets… It’s sort of a documented history of what’s come before for me: the notes of things that I just couldn’t deal with, the wishes and dreams I’ve had (that have 80% come true over this time), the things that became evident through the years…

The stuff of this book and the “doing” of working through each chapter is something I’ve talked about a whole lot (you can read about it HERE) but today, I thought we could talk about PLAY.   

 

Play much more.

Play is a serious deal.

There’s a National Institute For Play that studies the vital connections between play and wellbeing.

Do you play enough? 

Turns out, super-successful and happy people PLAY a whole lot!

PsychCentral’s article The Importance Of Play For Adults suggests you do a play inventory:

“Take a play history. In his book Brown includes a primer to help readers reconnect with play. He suggests readers mine their past for play memories. What did you do as a child that excited you? Did you engage in those activities alone or with others? Or both? How can you recreate that today?

Surround yourself with playful people. Both (doctors)Brown and White stressed the importance of selecting friends who are playful – and of playing with your loved ones.

Play with little ones. Playing with kids helps us experience the magic of play through their perspective. White and Brown both talked about playing around with their grandkids.

Any time you think play is a waste, remember that it offers some serious benefits for both you and others. As Brown says in his book, “Play is the purest expression of love.”

Play is a big deal.

I know that I can get very serious about creativity.  It’s my life’s “work”, and maybe it’s your work, too.  Sometimes it’s light and easy and extra-specially life-lighting-up special… and sometimes it’s too much thinking and trying.

My friend is a creative mogul among many of my creative mogul friends.  She looked at me one day in the midst of watching me start to create all sorts of stuff in a rapid-fire whirlwind and said:

How do you play?

Play???

I was perplexed.

Play isn’t really easy to wrap your head around when you are busy, you know?

She takes all sorts of trips to play.  She takes time out to dress up and go experience life for the fun of it.

I realized as she was talking that she played as “hard” as she worked.  And as she played, things got bigger and better and happier and lighter.  Exponentially bigger.

The Artist’s Way taught me to play.  

Play is a huge part of the “work”  of the book.  It’s 12 weeks where you’re obliged to explore life so much more.  If you skip the play, you’re missing the point of the refreshing process!

Play is as important as work.  It helps to re-set your mind.  It helps you tap into the Tao connection that lights up your life.

It was scary at first to start playing.  I mean… What if my life fell apart from neglect? What if I was shirking responsibility? What if I was taking away from stuff that needed to be done? 

Instead, despite my paranoia, everything became far more brilliant, layered and exciting.  I learned to take photos, I learned I could actually design things, I learned that I’m a social butterfly at heart, I learned to be easier on myself… I learned to rest. To cook. To have happiness.

Great ideas arrive.  Things get done faster.

It may feel like you’re blowing off the serious work of life.

It’s the best feeling.

Make time to play.  The play – – real true passionate play – – is the magic.

xoxo Dana

 

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