Playfulness isn't Just About Games

When most people hear the word play, they think of board games, sports, video games, or tabletop campaigns. And yes, those are all wonderful, joy-sparking, brain-stretching forms of play.

But playfulness isn’t limited to games.

Sometimes it’s wandering through a thrift store with no goal in mind.
Sometimes it’s rearranging your living room just to see what the sunlight does.
Sometimes it’s hiking a new trail, pretending you’re an explorer charting unmapped terrain.
Sometimes it’s choosing a funky pair of socks because they make you laugh.

Playfulness isn’t a pastime. It’s a posture.

It’s how we engage with the world when we’re not just trying to survive it but enjoy it.

Redefining Play

There’s this idea that adults have to “earn” their play. That we can only be playful on weekends, or vacation, or after all the serious work is done. But that assumes play is optional, something we grow out of instead of growing with.

If there is one thing I want people to take away from the "play" centered posts on this blog it's this:

Play isn’t childish. It’s human.

And the more narrowly you define it, the more you cut yourself off from joy.

Play can look like redecorating your house in a way that feels a little chaotic but deeply you.
It can be cooking without a recipe.
It can be making a playlist with a ridiculous theme like “Songs I Think a Wizard Would Listen To While Doing Laundry.” . . . Oddly specific, I know. cough, cough.

It can be the sheer delight of finding a hideous ceramic gnome at a flea market and deciding it’s coming home with you.

Play doesn’t have to be productive. It just has to light something up inside you.  You might also notice, there's a not a miniscule overlap between playful activities and non-judgmental, creative activities!

The Role of Semi-Frivolous Things

Here’s something we rarely say out loud: Frivolous things keep us whole.

That afternoon spent rearranging books by color?
That two-hour thrifting trip where you only walked away with a $3 scarf and a story?
That little corner of your office filled with LEGOs, bobbleheads, or mood lighting?

They’re not wasted time. They’re restorative.
They refill your creative tank. They interrupt the monotony. They remind you that you’re allowed to shape your world in small, joyful ways.

Semi-frivolous activities give your brain breathing room. They offer satisfaction without stakes. That’s a kind of nourishment we don’t talk about enough.

Playfulness as a Mindset

You don’t need dice or a controller or a rulebook to be playful. You just need to approach something with curiosity and flexibility.

Playfulness is:

• Asking “What if?” instead of “What’s the point?”

• Trying the new thing, even if you’re not good at it

• Noticing beauty where no one else is looking

• Letting a moment be silly or small just because

It’s a mindset that says: I’m still allowed to explore. I'm still allowed to enjoy things that don’t make sense on a resume. I'm still allowed to care deeply about something light.

And when you build a life that makes room for that, you build a life that’s more resilient, more creative, and more connected to joy. 

You might also find, it makes you a better leader, one that draws people not because of power, but purpose.