We have been facing an unprecedented level of stress over the course of this last year. Coping with a pandemic, immense financial uncertainty, reckoning with social injustice, and the shock of the political storm on Capitol…just to name a few of the overwhelming events in the last year.

As I was reflecting on my own tendency to work harder when stress builds up around me, Stuart Brown’s research on play drifted into my awareness. Brown’s research reminds us that engaging in play as adults is truly vital to enable us to successfully navigate such stressful and overwhelming times.

Curious to learn more about the profound impact of play?

See Stuart Brown’s Ted Talk