Playtime: 1.3.17

__________________________________________________________________________________________

1/3/17

11:20pm

“I do not want any of this to feel like pressure. I want to infuse as much joy into this enterprise as possible.” 

My words today to my friend as we move forward on building a business together. We are in a place of pure creation; creating a means to accomplish work we wish to do in the world. There are endless possibilities in this place. We already have faith in the work – how we deliver it and package it is entirely up to us. This is a true chance to play, to explore, to research. Child development specialists agree that children at play are actually working – researching and seeking to understand their world. Play leads to developing high level reasoning, social skills, and creative problem-solving.

*

Peter Gray, Ph.D., writes of play in Psychology Today, “It also provides a state of mind that, IN ADULTS AS WELL AS CHILDREN, is uniquely suited for high-level reasoning, insightful problem solving, and all sorts of creative endeavors.”  We forget play and we forget joy when we contemplate work as adults. Perhaps it has beaten out of us through too many years of standardized tests, being told to sit still, and do as we’re told. In fact, children as young as five years old are now being trained in standardized test taking and having their play time greatly reduced in kindergarten classrooms. How can we then learn to be innovative and progressive as we grow and seek to make the world a more joyful and inhabitable place? (sources below).

*

As Khalil Gibran wrote in his, The Prophet,

________________

_________________

My friend and I love our work. It only makes sense to be able to deliver it in a way that we love as well. Why diminish its joy in any way, including what may at times seem like a more logical choice than what our hearts are telling us? We have decided to play. We have decided to be joyful. This is a firm commitment. For Happiness is a synonym to Success. If we are happy, we are successful, and success breeds more success. I am grateful and joyous as I end this post. 

*

Thank you, reader! I hope I have instilled some joy in you!

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Gray, Peter. The Value of Play I. Psychology Today. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200811/the-value-play-i-the-definition-play-gives-insights?collection=116715

Today’s Kindergarteners are Playing Less, Studying More. Education Corner.

http://www.educationcorner.com/todays-kindergartners.html