Playtime...
I often find myself torn between "doing" and "being". Somehow as adults, we are taught to feel guilty if we are not being productive. I wonder when exactly we start losing the carefree attitude towards life we have as children, when playtime is the highlight of our days? In the article below by Dr Bréne Brown, "play" is defined as, "time spent without purpose." Let's make time this week to play!
“Play keeps us vital and alive.
It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable.
Without it, life just doesn’t taste good. ” - Lucia Capocchione
I always find many insights in the research and writings of Dr Bréne Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. This article is no exception. She explores what her research has revealed about the qualities of people who live wholeheartedly; able to give and receive love without reservation. Based on her findings, she shares five basic everyday actions that can help us develop a deeper sense of wholeheartedness. And yes, one of them is "Make room for playtime"!
One of my favorite ways to play is to dig in the dirt! When I am out in the garden, I lose all sense of time and I feel connected to the earth and nature around me. This summer I am adding gardening beds and a vegetable garden to our new home in the country, so I am gathering lots of ideas. This kitchen garden plan from Mother Earth Living magazine, mixes vegetables, flowers and herbs to feed both body and soul as you harvest delicious, organic food right outside your door!
Some delightful advice from the Art of Simple blog on how to recapture some of the magic that we feel as kids when we have the whole summer "off"! The habit of taking "sabbaticals" from the everyday routines of our life, has many healthy benefits and what better time to practice than during the glorious summer months.
I recently made this recipe and was blown away by how delicious it was, along with being so healthy and nourishing for your body. The fact that one of the ingredients was a whole head of cilantro, certainly drew me to try this - I can never get enough cilantro! Better yet, this recipe is gluten and dairy-free, so it is a definite crowd-pleaser even for those who have food sensitivities.
