Playfulness Heals Adults

We live in a culture that's convinced everyone that adult playfulness is basically a red flag for immaturity, like the moment you prioritize joy over productivity, someone's going to revoke your grown-up card. But this mindset is keeping us all stressed, burnt out, and creatively constipated when what we really need is permission to remember that humans are literally designed to play throughout their entire lives.

Today’s Quick Overview:

🔬 Science Spotlight: Why your brain's hidden resilience actually gets stronger with age and how certain neural layers resist aging to keep your most practiced skills sharp...
🗣 Therapist Corner: How to reconnect with playfulness as an adult and why bringing lightness to daily life isn't just fun, it's essential for mental health (answered by a registered play therapist)...
📰 Mental Health News: US Supreme Court lets Mississippi's social media age checks stand, depression among top workforce burdens in Australia, and retirement perks lift Gen Z mental health...
🫂Community Voices: One person's story about how training a rescue dog to walk through doorways taught them to be patient with their own fears...

Let's tune into what voice is speaking loudest in your head right now:

What's your inner voice saying as this week wraps up? Is it the proud one noticing how much you handled? The tired one ready to completely disconnect? The planning one already thinking about next week? Give that voice some space, then let your wisest self remind you that rest isn't earned, it's necessary.

Somatic Therapy Wheel Poster

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Answered by: Julie Callahan, LCMHCS, RPTS

In a recent poll, 47.67% of you responded that the value you want to embody more is playfulness, bringing lightness and joy to daily life. Today, we've invited an expert to explore how reconnecting with our sense of play isn't just about having fun (though that's important too!), it's about reclaiming a vital part of our humanity that often gets buried under the weight of adult responsibilities and societal expectations.

Let's Bring More Playfulness into Our Lives!

Life can sometimes feel like a big, heavy backpack filled with responsibilities, worries, and serious tasks. But here's the thing: playfulness is a super important part of life!

As Fred Rogers said, "It is the things we play with and the people who help us play that make the greatest difference in our lives." It helps us feel happy and healthy, and is crucial to reducing stress and increasing creativity. Play allows our brains to come up with new ideas.

It's okay to feel serious. Sometimes, when there are so many important things to do, it can be hard to think about having fun. That's completely normal! But remember, playfulness isn't just for kids—it's for everyone, and it helps our minds and hearts stay strong.

Why Play Matters: Playing isn't silly! It helps us feel better, reduces stress, and even makes us more creative. When we play, our brains can come up with new and exciting ideas!

Here are some fun ideas to get connected to your playful side:

No Need to Worry About What Others Think: Some people might think adults shouldn't play, but that's not true. Everyone deserves to have fun! Light-hearted activities like games or dance breaks can help lift our mood and make responsibilities feel lighter.

Easy Ways to Have Fun Every Day:

Make Friends and Have Fun Together: Playing together helps us build strong friendships. Plan fun activities with friends or family to make happy memories. Try doing something playful together, like playing a sport or having a game night.

Add Play to Your Daily Routine: Set aside time for playful activities every day, even if it's just a little bit—even 5 minutes a day can make a huge difference! Try new hobbies like painting, crafting, or playing a musical instrument to see what makes you smile.

Be Present in the Moment: When playing, focus on having fun and enjoying the activity. It's about the joy of being in the moment, not about winning or losing.

Playfulness is super important for happiness and feeling good. Everyone deserves to have fun, so let's make some time for joy! Start with small steps to bring more playfulness into everyday life. Remember, it's okay to be silly and enjoy the little things. Let's start today and discover all the fun waiting for us!

Julie Callahan, LCMHCS, RPTS, is a child therapist, parent support specialist, and clinical supervisor at HealingWorks Counseling as well as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University. She helps children, adults, and families find balance in their lives and work to be the best versions of themselves they can be.

Your Brain's Hidden Resilience Gets Stronger With Age

Research finding: Scientists used ultra-high-resolution MRI scanners to examine the brains of 60 adults aged 21 to 80, discovering that certain layers of the cerebral cortex actually maintain or increase their thickness with age. 

While the overall cortex thins, which is a well-known hallmark of aging, researchers found that the middle and upper layers of the somatosensory cortex (the brain region that processes touch) remain remarkably stable. 

Even more surprising: the myelin content in deeper layers increases with age, suggesting the brain develops compensatory mechanisms to preserve function. These preserved layers are the ones most actively engaged with processing sensory information from our constant interaction with the environment.

Why it matters: This challenges everything we thought we knew about brain aging being a simple story of decline. Your brain isn't just deteriorating, it's actively preserving and even strengthening the neural circuits you use most. 

Think about skills that stay sharp well into old age: typing, playing an instrument, crafting, cooking. This research reveals why. The brain layers responsible for processing these practiced tactile experiences resist aging, while the deeper layers that filter and modulate sensory input show more decline. 

But here's what's relevant for the rest of us: this explains why you might still expertly chop vegetables at 75 but struggle to do it in a noisy kitchen. The preserved layers keep your core skills intact, while the aged layers make it harder to filter distractions.

Try it today: Choose one tactile activity you do daily and do it with full sensory awareness for just two minutes. Notice the textures, pressure, and feedback your fingers receive. According to this research, consistently engaging these sensory pathways helps preserve the very brain layers that resist aging. You're not just completing a task; you're actively maintaining your brain's resilience for years to come.

Today’s Visualization Journey: Outdoor Concert in the Park

Picture yourself spreading a blanket on the grass in a local park as the sun begins to set and musicians set up on a small stage for the weekly summer concert series. Families are arriving with picnic dinners, couples are claiming spots under trees, and children are running around with the freedom that Friday evening brings.

The band starts with gentle folk songs that drift across the park, creating a soundtrack for this perfect end to the work week. You're lying back on your blanket, watching clouds move across the darkening sky while the music washes over you. There's no pressure to pay close attention, just the pleasure of being outdoors with neighbors, sharing this simple community celebration.

As the first stars become visible and the musicians play their final set, you feel completely content with this Friday evening choice. Not complicated or expensive, just real people making real music under a real sky, creating the kind of memory that makes ordinary weeks feel special.

Make It Yours: What simple pleasure are you ready to fully enjoy as this week winds down? How can you create your own version of this concert-in-the-park feeling - relaxed, connected, and peacefully settled into weekend mode?

Today’s Affirmations

Friday often brings the temptation to downplay what you've managed to do, especially if it doesn't feel impressive compared to what you hoped to achieve. But acknowledging your efforts means recognizing the energy and persistence it takes to show up for your responsibilities, relationships, and goals day after day.

Try this: Before the week officially ends, complete this sentence: "This week I put effort into _____." Let yourself feel genuinely proud of that investment, regardless of the outcome.

Gratitude Spotlight

Today's Invitation: "What's one relationship in your life that feels easier or more comfortable now than it used to?"

Why It Matters: Friday reflection often focuses on relationship challenges or social exhaustion from the week, making us forget that many of our connections have actually improved over time. Relationships that feel easy now often required patience, understanding, and small adjustments from both people. Recognizing this evolution helps us appreciate the quiet work of building trust and comfort with others.

Try This: Think about what changed to make this relationship feel more comfortable - was it time, better communication, mutual understanding, or simply both people growing? Say quietly, "This relationship has gotten better." Feel grateful not just for the other person, but for your own contribution to creating a connection that feels genuinely supportive and natural.

Why it matters today: We often prioritize safety and predictability over growth and discovery, thinking that security comes from avoiding risk. But Roosevelt suggests the opposite, that real security comes from knowing you can handle whatever life throws at you, and you only build that confidence by regularly choosing to stretch beyond what feels comfortable.

Bring it into your day: Think of one area where you've been playing it safe, sticking with what you know you can do well instead of trying something that might challenge you. Today, choose one small challenge over easy competence. Try something where you might not be immediately good, ask a question you're not sure you want the answer to, or simply approach a routine task in a completely different way. Life becomes an adventure when you're willing to be a beginner again.

"My Rescue Dog Was Scared of Doorways. Turns Out, So Was I."

Shared by Aidan, 26 (name changed for privacy)

I adopted Luna from the shelter in July. She was this trembling terrier mix who'd freeze at every single doorway in my apartment. She'd pace back and forth, whine, sometimes for five whole minutes before finally running through super fast like something was chasing her.

The dog trainer gave me homework. Reward her for just looking at the doorway. Then, for one step toward it. Then another. Don't push, don't rush. She kept saying Luna needed to learn she was in control.

Three weeks in, I was exhausted. Another hour on my bedroom floor with treats, coaxing Luna through. My girlfriend was watching from the bed and said something about how patient I was with the dog. I laughed because, honestly? I didn't feel patient. I felt stuck and frustrated.

She got quiet, then said, "You're just really different with her than you are with yourself." My phone buzzed right then, another reminder about a job application I hadn't touched in three weeks. I swiped it away. Whatever.

The next morning, something weird happened. I was making coffee, and Luna walked up to the kitchen doorway. She did her usual thing, stopped, sniffed around, backed up a bit. But then she just walked through. No running, no panic, no fanfare. Just walked through like a normal dog.

And I don't know why, but standing there with my coffee, watching her, something clicked. Every single day, I'd been telling this dog all this stuff: "You're okay. Take your time. Nothing bad's gonna happen." Like, over and over. Saying it in this super calm voice I didn't even know I had. But I only believed those things when I was saying them to her.

Now, when I'm stuck, big decisions, scary emails, whatever, I think about Luna. I try to talk to myself the way I talked to her. Small steps. No rushing.

Luna's fine with doorways now. And I finally sent in that application.

Share Your Story

Have a mental health journey you'd like to share with our community? Reply back to this email. All submissions are anonymized and edited for length with your approval before publication. Each published story receives a $10 donation to the mental health charity of your choice.

Your 3-Minute Writing Invitation: "What's one thing I accomplished this week that felt meaningful, even if it wasn't on any of my official lists?"

Why Today's Prompt Matters: Friday reflection is perfect for recognizing achievements that don't show up in productivity systems but matter for your well-being. These unmeasurable accomplishments often represent the most important work we do, even when they don't feel like traditional success.

Permission to End Your Week Wherever You Are

You're allowed to finish Friday with projects half-done, goals partially met, and energy completely spent without feeling like you need to push through to some imaginary finish line.

Why it matters: Weeks don't actually have natural endpoints that align with our energy levels or project timelines, but we often pressure ourselves to reach artificial completion points by Friday evening. Real life is messier than calendar weeks, and sometimes the most realistic thing you can do is stop where you are and trust that next week will be there.

If you need the reminder: Your week doesn't need a dramatic conclusion or perfect wrap-up to be considered successful. Sometimes the most honest way to end a week is mid-thought, mid-project, or mid-effort. You can always pick up where you left off when Monday comes around.

Tonight's Gentle Review

Invite the day to exhale by asking yourself:

Release Ritual: Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach, feeling your breath move your body. Take a moment to appreciate this automatic rhythm that has sustained you through every moment of this week, asking nothing in return but your trust.

Book: When You're Tired of Trying to Be Perfect

Read: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Brené Brown spent a decade interviewing thousands of people to figure out what makes some folks genuinely joyful while others stay stuck in shame spirals. Her big discovery? The happiest people believe they're worthy of love exactly as they are, messy parts and all. Brown breaks this down into ten practical "guideposts" that feel less like homework and more like permission slips to be human.

What sets this apart from typical self-help is Brown's honesty about her own "Breakdown Spiritual Awakening" and her research-backed insight that our culture's "never enough" obsession is exactly what keeps us from the connection and creativity we're actually craving.

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Coming Monday: New research reveals why your brain won't let you forgive yourself - and it's not what you think, plus the surprising difference between people who stay stuck in guilt and those who move forward.

Researched and edited by Natasha. Designed with love by Kaye.

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*The Daily Wellness shares educational content only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice and diagnosis. Please consult a licensed provider for personalized care.