“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -George Bernard Shaw
Playfulness becomes difficult when we get bogged in worries. Worrying sucks the joy out of everything. I know, because I’ve been there many times before.
You start a new project focused on your passions, and shortly after starting, you stress about where it’s going. Or you set aside some time to do something you enjoy, and before you know it you’re fixating on everything you have to complete on your to-do list.
We don’t stop playing because we no longer enjoy it. It naturally feels good to connect, explore, and discover. We stop playing because we think we should be doing other things, and that creates fear, anxiety, and, eventually, paralysis.
There will always be something that needs to be done, and there will always be the possibility that doing it won’t take you where you want to go. Even the most disciplined, hard-working people in the world deal with uncertainty and elements beyond their control. We can either sit around stressing about everything we don’t know, or we can live passionately right now, in the only moment we know for sure we have.
Time is going to pass, whether we enjoy it or not. And the unknown will be unknown, whether we embrace that or not.
Today if you find yourself stressing and taking everything too seriously, ask yourself: What do you need to let go of to allow yourself to have more fun?
Photo by cdsessums
About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others do the same. She recently created the Breaking Barriers to Self-Care eCourse to help people overcome internal blocks to meeting their needs—so they can feel their best, be their best, and live their best possible life. If you’re ready to start thriving instead of merely surviving, you can learn more and get instant access here.
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