Inner Child

When was the last time you just played for the sake of having fun? The list goes on and on: trampoline jumping, picnics, having your own outdoor gathering, running around in the park, and board/card games. Finding out what makes me happy is so important.

Children sometimes use the word "play." When children go to school, they tend to play at recess and after school. However, as adults, we must have fun. Many findings have shown how beneficial these behaviours can be to our physical health. According to one report, the more an individual plays, the happier they are on the inside and outside. Although there are many benefits to playing, I strongly believe that it will make me age more gracefully. Down below I've listed an activity that I love engaging in, that helps me get out of a FUNK, strengthen my mind, and embrace my inner child:

Crafts 'n Mangonadas (non-alcoholic)

- Creating a vision board: Nothing feels more good than pulling out a craft box and creating a vision board for myself. This will jog my artistic muscles and encourage me to express myself through a vibrant and one-of-a-kind work of art. I like to use my Kai blue scissors to cut out specific parts of my travel, blogging, fashion, business, and beauty magazines and newspapers so that I can glue them onto my vision board. Once that step is done, I like to hang up my board in front of my bed, so that when I wake up, I am constantly getting in the mindset every morning to grind harder than the day before. It just keeps me going in life. Secondly, I would then cut out paper clouds and write a sentence or two about what Travel, Beauty, Fashion, and Business means to me. Thirdly, staying hydrated is key. Which is why I make some mangonada smoothies before I start my vision board.

Tools Needed:

- Board, Glue, Wall Pins, and Kai Scissors.

You can see a theme here—the power of play is essential for soul-care. There's a common thread here: the importance of play for self- and soul-care. I completed a two-year Travel and Tourism programme that I thoroughly enjoyed. But sadly the travel industry/aviation industry was hit and there's barely any jobs for now, although I have a deep passion for travelling the world. But over the years I was thinking to myself, why live a life of all work and no play. Can you imagine going to school, just to graduate, get a job, work 40 hours + a week, and the pay is at an okay rate? And you have NO time/energy on your hands. Without play, I am missing out on ways to lengthen and deepen my time on this earth. It’s safe to say nearly everyone has experienced an overwhelming amount of stress over the past year (lossed jobs, death, etc). Let me tell you something. Playing will also assist with this. It's very straightforward. Fun events add joy and pleasure to your life while also providing an opportunity for you to de-stress and reset your mental health. No wonder why lots of people in general quit their job because they're not HAPPY.

" Life isn’t how many breaths you take but the moments that

take your breath away." - Maya Angelou

Takeaway: We sometimes take for granted basic aspects that are genuinely beneficial to our health, such as the strength of play. Limit your screen time (content diet) and experiment with new ways to engage in adult play. When life is going well for you, embrace it fully. However, when you run in to some problems, just know it won't last forever.