"Playing is different than having fun."
For today’s positivity quote I wanted to feature two of the most enriching things we can do in our lives, and the distinction between them so we can make sure we’re prioritizing both.
The quote is, “Playing is different than having fun.”
We all have a pretty good idea around what it means to have fun. It means that we do fun things - go to shows, organize events, have enjoyable hobbies, play games, experiment with a new recipe, travel and experience new things, it’s a long list...
Having fun is the output of doing fun things, and the world would certainly be a better place if we all had a little more fun.
That’s not to say that it’s easy to have fun… Prioritizing the time to do fun things amidst life’s responsibilities is a real challenge and it’s one of the first things to be deprioritized.
But "playing is different than having fun".
Playing is not the outcome you get at the end, it’s the energy you put into what you do. When we play we choose to see more intrigue, mystery, and wonder in everything. You do not need to do something to play, but rather you do something a certain way that makes it play.
What happens then is that choosing to play creates more fun because it transforms anything into an opportunity to have fun.
Take children for example. They use their imagination and can turn any moment into a moment of play. A random object becomes a fake phone to have a conversation. The asphalt becomes lava that they must navigate forward. Children have the skill of creating playful moments out of nothing.
As adults, the way we play has changed. It’s a more sophisticated form of imagination and creativity where we can be cheeky in conversation, animated as we do mundane tasks, and make games out of random things. We choose to be playful and in doing so, infuse more fun in what’s already happening.
So do both. Plan fun things, but also create more fun moments through play. It shouldn’t be an afterthought, we’re at our best when we’re being attracted by the enthusiasm of life!
