Welcome to Joy Lab!: Welcome to the Joy Lab podcast, where we help you uncover and foster your most joyful self. Your hosts, Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek, bring you the ideal mix of soulful and scientifically sound tools to spark your joy, even when it feels dark. When you're ready to experiment with more joy, combine this podcast with the full Joy Lab program over at JoyLab.coach
Welcome to your play meditation. I'm Aimee, I'll be guiding you through. So this meditation is a really nice follow up to our last episode, which talked about sort of fun 101 as it relates to mental health. Feel free to listen to that after this if you haven't tuned into it yet. As you may know, then here at Joy Lab, we take fun super seriously.
Seriously. And we want you to as well, we want you to tap into that aspect of yourself because it is nourishing, it is healing, and it can be a powerful catalyst for change. So before we get started, it might feel good to do this meditation outside, perhaps if you have a comfortable space where you can do that.
So feel free to pause, right here sort of get settled in, uh, before you begin.
So you've created a comfortable spot for yourself seated, laying down, whatever it is that you need to feel at ease. If it feels good, you can allow your eyes to close, or you can focus your gaze on one spot. Or if you like, you can softly look at the scenery around you.
Let's gradually turn our attention inward. Begin by focusing on your body, becoming aware of your breathing, of the sensations of your body touching whatever it's touching, the feeling of being supported from below.
Just experiencing and observing how you're feeling. Maybe notice how your stomach and chest move with each breath. And allow any tension that you're holding to leave your body.
Now let's focus on becoming more playful. We can all be playful. It's a trait we all have inside, but for many of us, playfulness has been pushed aside as we strive to be serious about our work or as we deal with worries or stressful events, or just in the course of trying to get everything done that we need to each day.
If you're feeling that, maybe that drag or that exhaustion, then infusing a bit more fun and play in your day can be so powerful. It may sound trivial or it may sound unrealistic, but you can do it and it's worth it.
You can become more playful, more loose, more free, even if you've never felt that way before. Or if you were playful at one time, but you've lost touch with it, it's still there within you. As you practice more play and fun in your day, it can help you respond to life's challenges with more humor and lightheartedness instead of feeling stressed or defensive. You can find a balance between being serious and being playful.
In any given situation, you can bring both qualities to your life. They're within you. Let's call up your playful spirit right now.
Think about a time when you were playful, perhaps when you were a kid. Create a mental picture of yourself as you recall being playful. Or just think about positive moments of yourself as a kid or adult if something specific isn't coming up.
Try to recreate all of the details in your mind. What did you look like?
What did it feel like to be playful? Who were you with? Spend some time imagining all of these details.
Now, let's move to the present moment. Think about all the things you have planned today and tomorrow, and imagine that instead of being serious, see yourself allowing this playful feeling to emerge. Start with the beginning of your day and watch it play out. If you are more playful and fun-loving, would things proceed differently than usual?
What would you do differently? How would you feel?
See yourself allowing this playful feeling to emerge throughout your day.
Now imagine bringing that sense of playfulness and ease to the later parts of your day as well. As you see yourself in this way, what do you notice?
Do you have more energy? Are you smiling? How would you respond to stress from this mindset if you were more relaxed or more in tune with your fun spirit?
How might you change your day-to-day routines?
Now let's create some affirmations about becoming more playful. I'll say it first, then I'll pause for just a bit so that you can say the affirmation to yourself, soaking in it, letting it nourish you. Here's the first one. I am a playful person.
It is okay to be playful.
I can surprise people in ways that build my connection with them.
I can cue up my playful attitude at any time, even just to lighten things up.
Now, stay with your present day self in your mind, and imagine that you, here and now, are in touch with your playful inner child. Set an intention to become more playful, more exuberant, loving, joyful, spontaneous, humorous. Whatever qualities you associate with being playful. Take a few moments to just relax and take some time to absorb these ideas you've been focusing on.
Perhaps seeing yourself in a new light as a more playful, joyful person.
Whenever you're ready, gradually return your awareness to the space around you. Reorient yourself to the here and now, and sit quietly for just a few more moments and enjoy the feeling, perhaps of being lighter. And as best you can, take that sense of play, joy and pleasure into the rest of your day. It's all part of you.
