Permission to Play: Granted

Stress relief, one silly dance move at a time

Have you played yet today? 

Last week, I shared a bit about the beauty of having a present and “free” weekend, void of the pressures of productivity.  It made me think: when does that pressure really start setting in? Is there some connection to the time we stop prioritizing play in our lives?

For so many of us, play gets banished to childhood and is seen as frivolous and foolish as we age. Yet, from my years of teaching kindergarten I saw firsthand how important it is for children. It’s how they learn to collaborate, get creative, and communicate. 

As far as I can see, those benefits are even more necessary for us adults, especially with how much stress and responsibility we carry. Playing is a vital source of freedom and stress relief! And it might even infuse us with energy to show up more fully at work and home!

Those moments of spontaneous fun are exactly what we recapture in class together. To me, the Zumba dance floor is the ultimate playground. Here, there is no need to be perfect—your own creative style makes it more fun! We connect through smiles, silly faces, and shared laughter, letting go of all the "not good enough" noise.

It’s funny, I often stand in front of a new group of people for a team building workshop or corporate class event and I’m brought back to that feeling of being a kid inviting others to come and play. I can see the hesitation on their faces: I'm too shy, I’ll look foolish, I can't dance (unless I’ve had a few drinks!).

And with my smile and my own silly dance, I try to tell them: You are still allowed to play.  Once you let yourself get silly, sweaty, and lost in the movement, you tap back into that creative, collaborative energy. You can remember how to play! 

At this playful time of year, with Halloween and fun costumes coming up, go ahead and let your guard down. Come play and unleash your inner child on the dance floor. You might never want to stop!

Keep moving!

xx,

Katie