The Delicate Balance Of Work And Play

Learning to play and have fun affirms a vital part of you and is a necessary part of building good self-esteem.

The art of being is the order of the day; the art of knowing and accepting yourself; living in passion, joy and inner peace; and valuing play as an integral part of your lifestyle.
Begin to take time for yourself without deciding that each moment has to be spent productively.

Here is an exercise you can use to help you uncover and discover your underlying beliefs about playing and having fun.

Write each of the following partial sentences at the top of a blank piece of paper, then write at least ten different endings to each one as quickly as you can:

When I used to have fun, my father…

When I used to have fun my mother…

When I was a kid I always wanted to…

As an adult I feel silly or foolish…

When I see other people playing I feel…

I can remember playing…

If I ever decide to play I think it would be fun to…

Valuing the time to have fun or play would mean…

When I think about the way my family’s beliefs and attitudes about play affects me I know…

Breaking free of other people’s limiting beliefs and values, exploring family dynamics and challenging cultural models that may keep you stuck is life long work.

Ironically, part of the work and an important building block to developing and maintaining good self-esteem is knowing the value of play and learning how to play.

Remember, only YOU can make it happen!n