Introduction
Life as an adult can often feel like a never-ending cycle of responsibilities, deadlines, and daily routines. The sheer weight of adulting can stifle our creativity, dampen our resilience, and leave our emotional intelligence on the back burner. But what if I told you that there's a delightful, often overlooked secret to rekindling these vital aspects of our lives? It's called play.
In this blog, we'll delve into the world of play and explore how it can help adults enhance their creativity, resilience, and emotional intelligence. We'll also introduce you to the wonderful practice of Laughter Yoga, led by Master Trainer Tové Kane, as a playful and effective tool for achieving these goals.
Rediscovering Creativity through Play
Remember those days when you could spend hours engrossed in imaginative play, creating fantastical worlds with just a cardboard box and your boundless imagination? As adults, we often forget the sheer joy and creativity that can flow from engaging in play. But it's never too late to rekindle that spark.
Play opens the door to our inner child, inviting us to dream, imagine, and innovate. Whether it's doodling, building with LEGO bricks, or experimenting with a musical instrument, play allows us to tap into our creative potential. By embracing activities that encourage free thinking and exploration, we can revive our creativity and infuse it into our daily lives.
Bouncing Back with Resilience
Life throws curveballs at us, and our ability to pick them up when we drop them is essential if we want to bounce back from setbacks. Interestingly, play equips us with the tools to enhance our resilience. Just think about the playground: slides, swings, and roundabouts. Children tumble and fall but get right back up, laughing and trying again.
For adults, play can serve as a safe space to face challenges without the fear of failure. Engaging in playful activities, whether it's tackling a puzzle, participating in a team sport, or even taking up a new hobby, helps us build resilience by teaching us to embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth. Often the laughter’s loudest when we miss something. When we’re playing, we don’t load so much meaning into a mistake. We don’t feel so persecuted when someone tackles us. Play reminds us about the power of action. When we lose the advantage, we have certain strategies to get it back. We don’t get bogged down, wondering if we’re good enough. Imposter syndrome doesn’t enter our minds because they are too focused on the game.
Developing Emotional Intelligence through Laughter Yoga
Now, let's introduce a playful technique that's making waves in the world of play for adults and children: Laughter Yoga, led by Laughter Yoga Ambassador and Master Trainer Tové Kane (that’s me). Laughter Yoga combines laughter exercises with yogic breathing techniques, providing a unique and joyful way to enhance emotional intelligence.
Laughter Yoga encourages genuine laughter, not as a response to humour but as a deliberate choice. The body doesn’t differentiate between voluntary laughter and spontaneous laughter. Here’s why volunteering laughter is a superior choice. We don’t tend to laugh much these days do we? And if we do, it’s for a few seconds, then it’s gone and we’re back to feeling, down, stressed, anxious or even depressed. By practising Laughter Yoga, you can lift your mood from any starting point and laugh as long as you like because you are engaging in certain playful games and combining them with breathing. Through laughter, we connect with our inner selves, release stress, and experience the present moment. This practice fosters emotional intelligence by promoting self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication.
As a Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, I guide participants through laughter sessions that allow adults to let loose, connect with others, and develop a deeper understanding of their emotions. By laughing together, we break down barriers and learn to empathise with one another's experiences, ultimately strengthening our emotional intelligence.
Conclusion: Embrace the Playful Path
In a world that often values seriousness and adulting, it's essential to remember that play is not just for children. It's a powerful tool for enhancing creativity, resilience, and emotional intelligence in adults. Whether you're sliding down the metaphorical slide of creativity, swinging through the ups and downs of resilience, or spinning on the roundabout of emotional intelligence, play offers endless opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
So, take a cue from me and hundreds of thousands of Laughter Yoga practitioners around the world, and make play a part of your daily routine. Whether it's engaging in a hearty belly laugh with friends, doodling in a sketchbook, or rediscovering the joy of swings and roundabouts in a local park, the benefits of play are waiting for you. Embrace the playful path, and watch as your creativity, resilience, and emotional intelligence flourish in ways you never thought possible. If you’d like Laughter Yoga coaching, I have private clients, also groups in-person and online. I train Laughter Yoga Leaders who can facilitate Laughter Yoga sessions in schools, senior care homes, communities, for special needs, even in business. If you want to make a career—where you enjoy Mondays because you are laughing and simultaneously boosting your mood and your immunity—train with me as a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher. Book on to my next course www.tovekane.com