Image Description: A toddler has her back to us with her arms crossed. She has brown hair in pigtails and is wearing a dress and red shoes. We will soon learn that these shoes are very squeaky.
Are you carrying stress today?
Perhaps,
you didn’t sleep well, or
you have a looming deadline, or
you’re juggling a heavy load of responsibilities, or
you’re troubled by the news, or
you’re at wits end with your teenager, or
you’re in a conflict with someone you love.
Whatever it may be,
you are worth
wellness,
space,
grace,
peace,
insight, and
connection.
And a moment of play serves as a reminder. Play reorients and grounds us in what is most true: We are loved and living in a world with lovely gifts, even as it contains real challenges.
Play changes our brains. It calms us and helps us feel more connected. It also shifts us away from our anxious reactivity, allowing us to use the higher levels of our brain functioning to solve problems.
So find a way to play a bit today, even if it’s just for a moment.
Today, I take my cue from a hilarious, adorable toddler. She has a really hard time continuing to sulk in that tantrum once she starts to delight in squeaky, red shoes. Enjoy this video:
And remember, you’re worth it.
Smuggling Grace 