Prioritizing Play

This week is the first week of school for our family, and it always feels like such a momentous occasion to celebrate the start to a new school year. Early in my career, I was a high school teacher, and I have come to associate this time of year as one for setting intentions, resetting routines, and embracing newness and change.

I had a goal for today to be productive–a day where I could finally get caught up on many outstanding items on my to-do list. However, upon further reflection this morning, I feel the need to change these plans and instead prioritize inspiration and play.

I find that for me to be able to set powerful intentions and move toward them with gusto, it helps when I feel alignment and connection between my mind, body, and spirit. When I am out of alignment, it leads me to feel less clear, less focused, and less motivated.

So today, I am scrapping my original plans and focusing this afternoon on exploration and play. Such a choice leads to a more open-ended path in the present moment, yet somehow, choosing to explore in that winding way is precisely what leads me to deepen my sense of grounding and purpose for the future.

As adults, it’s so easy to feel like we don’t need, or don’t deserve, play at our age. I would say, however, that the powerful feeling of curiosity and discovery that arises during play is an access point which unlocks innovation, creativity, and more intentional action as a result.

So today, I choose to play, and we’ll see where it leads me.