Adult life gets in the way sometimes, don’t you think? How come it’s so easy to stay in serious mode all the time?

Part of re-energizing and feeling connected with ourselves and others is that we have to express our true selves. Deep down we are all creative beings.

So many say to me: I just want to be excited about things again, or I just want to feel like me again, or I used to be more fun…😄 I get it. Me too. This seems to be an especially challenging problem for those of us who are:

a) sensitive people

b) those who are in caring and helping careers

c) those who have faced big challenges or trauma regularly.

It’s almost like we start thinking that if we don’t do it no one else will. Or we think we don’t deserve it and that we must take care of everyone else first. This means that we are left waiting for the fun and carefree days to come to us by chance. Or we are resentful (which is a major energy drainer) of others who are having a better time than us.

Sadly, those carefree, creative, and fun times do not come (or they are rare) and we stay in a cycle of giving, caring, doing, and problem solving. Ultimately, we can forget that we were designed for more than giving, caring, doing, and problem solving (as honourable and good as those things are).

One of the most profound ways to renew ourselves is to go and play.

This can mean playing a sport we love, it could mean having an experience with others, it could mean diving into a hobby that we have always loved. Basically, anything that ‘lightens’ us is in this category and allows our creative and fun nature to get involved.

These moments of enjoying what lights us up are rare if left to chance. We must schedule this time in first – BEFORE all the others big things of life take over. Each week you need time that is for YOU to rest, create, play and laugh.

Can you schedule that in right now for the next week? Give yourself some space to be free. Don’t you know you will be so much stronger and resilient to deal with the hard stuff if you have taken this space?

This week I have a new challenge for you (and for me). To schedule this time in first. Where will it go, what will you do? It doesn’t have to be a whole day- it can be an hour. The important things is to do it where you can and enjoy every minute. No guilt please!