The Importance Of Play

A great way to increase our creativity and improvevery characteristics. They are also very often the
our imagination is to rediscover some on the things wemost successful people in their careers.
used to enjoy doing as children. However, there is a lotChildren also have faith, belief and trust. They believe in
more than just creativity that can be rediscovered bySanta Claus, the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy.
thinking about ourselves as children and what used toThey usually believe that anything is possible. As we
give us pleasure.grow older and 'wiser' we may no longer believe in
Curiosity is how we all learn as we grow up. Do youSanta and co, and we've no doubt all suffered our
remember how you acted as a child when youdisappointments along the way. But that doesn't mean
desperately wanted to know something? If you werethat we should become so cynical and sceptical that
anything like me, you probably pestered your parents,we lose the powers of belief, faith and trust, and we
siblings, other relatives, neighbours, or anybody elsecertainly must ensure we maintain our own self belief.
that would listen with hundreds of questions. When youHow much time do you take out for play? Adult leisure
wanted to know how something worked did you pullpursuits are generally different from things we enjoyed
your toys apart, or even things that belonged to other?as children, but there is power in playing and doing
You probably ruined some things along the way andthings you did as a child. It can help you to rediscover
got into some trouble, but I'll bet you learnt a lot andyour dreams and your 'inner you' and the person you
had great fun as well.wanted to be before you were perhaps told you
But curiosity is also one of the greatest teachers for'couldn't do that' or 'weren't smart enough' or 'to be
adults as well as children. If you want to set up a newrealistic'.
business, it's generally a good idea to try to find out theYou may like to try making a list of some of the things
approach and methods of someone who is alreadyyou loved doing as a child and then take time out to
successfully operating a similar business. Maybe that'swork you way through them. This should be an
more research than curiosity, but a boy who takes aenlightening and mentally invigorating experience. You
toy car apart and puts it back together could be saidmay be amazed how much pleasure you can still get
to be doing research into becoming an engineer.from watching classic cartoons or reruns of Get
Excitement and enthusiasm are characteristics thatSmart or the Beverley Hillbillies, or riding a bike, or going
most children have in abundance. Can you rememberskating, or making models, or doing whatever things
how excited you used to get leading up to youryou loved a child. It certainly works for me!
birthday, or Christmas or any other big event? I canAs we grow from children to adults we inevitably take
remember being too excited to go to bed, or go toon more responsibilities and leave behind many things
sleep, or waking up every hour until it was anthat were important to us as children. It can be easy to
acceptable time to get up. Do you remember timesbecome cynical, jaded and even disillusioned by our life
you were so excited you were sure you were aboutexperiences. But we don't have to be so grown up
to explode? That type of excitement is infectious andthat we forget some of the simple pleasures life has
irresistible, but we can become too mature and grownto offer. We can still be curious, playful, and optimistic
up or 'cool' to get this excited and enthusiastic, which isand have belief and faith, and let ourselves get excited
sad.and experience joy. Our lives will certainly be richer as
However, even as adults, most of us are attracted toa result.
and like to spend time with people that have those