I was chatting with a change agent who works in child advocacy the other day and she mentioned "A child's right to play". I think we could all get around this ideas.
But it made me wonder... At what age did we lose the Right to Play in our mind? When did we decide to turn play mode off and work mode on?
What voice are we listening to that says, "you can return to play when you retire"?
Who says, "play is for the weekend, IF you get your work done"?
OMG have I been listening the Cinderella's stepmother all these years?! Did I internalize that the good pretty girls are the ones who work?!
That's how social narratives works. They sneak in via movies and friends and organizational norms.
We are a product of cultural and societal narratives. If play is not allowed or approved, than as humans we self edit. Despite a early internal desire for the fun and delight that play brings, we unconsciously devalue it.
We suppress the desire. We put our head down, work harder, and conform to the norm.
The problem is that when we delay play, we burn out. Our brain suffocates with stress and anxiety.
With burnout at an all time high, it's time we ask, what happened to play and why am I keeping myself from it?
Reflection Questions:
How will I choose play today?
When was the last time I belly laughed?
Who is telling me I can't play? What is the phrase that comes to mind? Who would you be if you stopped believing it?
💃🏽 Hispanic Heritage Month Sep. 15- Oct. 15
Perez Family Fun!
Something Money Can't Buy
Many of you know, I am a proud Chicana, Mexican-American, Latina.
Last year with research on stress & anxiety & protective measures in my mind, I came across this reel on IG.
The narrator asks:
-Who workers the hardest in the United States?
-Hispanics!
-And who makes the least amount of money?
-Hispanics.
-Who are the happiest people... every weekend that you see in the parks doing bbq's with their family having the best time?
-Hispanics! -Why is that?
-I don't know.
-They have something that money can't buy.
The reel then shows workers dancing and having fun on the job. It's our culture. It's our social narrative.
My mama always saids, "It's tough to get done if it ain't fun". I already knew it in my bones and now the research is starting to show it, having fun and dancing are protective measures that build resilience and well being.
So celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!!!
The rejuvenation community is a space for change agents who want to lead differently. This is for people who want to fuel their work with joy, wellness and sustainable energy.
Together we will breathe, share, listen, and be nourished in our practices that care for our mental, emotional, and embodied wellness during this intense season.
