Playfulness, in a word, is all about having fun.
To unpack it a little further, playfulness is a mindset characterized by spontaneity, curiosity, lightheartedness, and a willingness to explore without fear of mistakes or attachment to outcomes. It involves engaging with the world and others with a sense of wonder, humor, and openness, allowing creativity and joy to emerge naturally.
Wow. Look at how many positive words we encounter when defining playfulness:
- community
- curiosity
- creativity
- flow
- fun
- humor
- joy
- lightheartedness
- openness
- spontaneity
- wonder
(Note: While the words “community” and “flow” did not appear in our definition, I chose “community” for “engaging with others” and “flow” for “without attachment to outcomes.”)
I think I would be hard pressed to come up with another topic that radiates such positivity.
It feels a bit silly — oh, there’s another good word we might associate with playfulness: silliness! But as I was saying, it feels silly to define playfulness because it came so naturally to us when we were children. Playfulness is the default mode of being for a child in a specific phase of development, assuming all of their basic needs are met. Moreover, playfulness is not limited to humans. Many animals engage in play, regardless of their age, as anyone who has ever had a dog can attest.
But one unfortunate characteristic of our culture is that we have put play in a box. When a child starts school, they are confronted with the expectation that play is not a default mode of being, but a specific activity, relegated to a specific time and place. Later, the child becomes an adult, and tragically, their life may become devoid of play altogether.
The cultural devaluation of play in adulthood might be an overlooked contributor to the depression epidemic. When play is dismissed as childish, we lose access to a vital source of joy. Play helps us relieve stress, express ourselves, and find meaning in the moment. Reintegrating playfulness into adult life could be key to improving mental health and overall well-being.
A life without play is not worth living. To focus on productivity is to miss the point of existence. You are always working toward some outcome, never enjoying the process. You are Sisyphus, rolling a ball up a hill, disappointed when it rolls down the other side. Instead, hollow the ball out and go zorbing.
I am not religious, but I went through a phase of studying various religions. In the Bhagavad Gita, I was introduced to bhakti yoga, the practice of devoting all of one’s actions, thoughts, and feelings to Krishna. This practice is said to transform daily life into a communion with the divine. What if, instead of a god, I devote myself completely to an abstract value, like playfulness? What if I make playfulness my guiding principle? In this case, playfulness becomes a sacred force. I am a mischievous elf, bringing whimsy and fun to an otherwise indifferent universe. I approach every situation, no matter how mundane, solemn, or horrific, with a twinkle in my eye.
Well, maybe not every situation. If a friend’s mother just died, I should recognize that what they need is not playfulness, but sympathy and emotional support. The idea is not to maximize playfulness at the expense of all other values, but to optimize playfulness so that it feeds into our other values and enriches our lives. But as a culture, we have a lot of room to increase playfulness before we are in danger of becoming too playful.
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