“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 to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.
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Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 
Thanks for the reminder, Lori! I know I need to remember to relax a little bit from time to time.
At my age I certainly hope that’s true… I keep playing!
“When I was a child, I played like a child..I thought as a child, I understood as a child..
When I grew up, I put away childish things”
Being playful is one thing but the pursuit of ‘fun’ at the expense of conscious awareness is a different matter altogether.
“The child who does not play is not a child,
The man who does not play has lost the child within him and will miss him very
much’
Pablo Neruda
Perfectly timed post. I too find that my “shoulds” get in the way of my desire to play.
Thank you for sharing!
Love the quote, wisdom, and lesson of this post! Love it all! I can spend days getting caught up in the to-do list and worrying about what will come, or will not come, from it. When I do this I tend to forget to live in the moment and just enjoy what I am doing. What a waste! Today – right now – I’m going to live passionately in the moment!
That’s an interesting perspective, Maura! I read somewhere before that there is a difference between being childish and being childlike. I aim to strive for the latter–a mixture of maturity/wisdom and playfulness/fun.
Beautiful Bellaisa!
You’re most welcome! I love your avatar, by the way. =)
You’re most welcome! I think we all do. =)