Bodies in Motion: Time to Play! Kevin McGrath

Do you remember how important play was when you were a young child? All your time was configured around playing in some manner or another, whether on your own, with a sibling, or with a group.

Playing was all-encompassing and could take place in your imagination, a small space, or a larger one where you could be physically active in some type of game. Often the rules were fleeting and varied depending on who was involved.

As we become adolescents, our play often becomes more structured and complex as our brains develop. As we continue to mature, play often starts to fall by the wayside as more important grown-up roles begin to take over. Career becomes an important word, and most of our time is now spent on making a living. How are you going to become a productive, integral part of society?

At some point in the mix, love arises and adds its own complexities. In other words, life happens, and before you know it, play is no longer the driving force it once was when you were young and still trying to figure out who you were and what you could do mentally and physically. Play helped in figuring those mysteries out in a mostly fun and enjoyable way. Physical play also helped your body develop or not, depending on the choices you made.

Remembering the fun you had playing as a child can help you bring this fun and playfulness into your daily life.

Any kind of movement can be fun if approached in a playful, lighthearted way. As adults, we need to make an effort to regain that healthy past time and find the activities we consider to be play.

Getting our aging bodies back into motion through play-full activities helps keep us active longer and can only benefit us throughout the remainder of our lifetime. Make life fun again! Become active in ways you may have forgotten about, whether gardening, creating crafts, playing with children or grandchildren, dancing to favorite music, or going to the lake for a swim.

Playing is a mindset that makes moving more enjoyable, and thus we’re more likely to do it longer and more often, making us healthier and happier. Sometimes limitations restrict us from these playful activities; however, some strategizing can get us back in the fun. For example, if gardening is your enjoyable outlet but your knees or hips now prevent this, perhaps a gardening stool or chair would solve the issue.

Finding solutions to the issue instead of abandoning the activity altogether could help add both years and fun to your life.

Remember, doing what’s enjoyable to you is key in helping you restart or continue an active lifestyle, so keep playing to keep your body in motion!

Kevin McGrath can be found playing in the woods, by the water, or in a group of friends.

Excerpt from the Summer 2023 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine, copyright 2023, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.