Day 75 of 100 Days of hope
Let Yourself Have a Good Time: How Play Opens the Door to Clarity, Joy, and Growth
(Inspired by Katie Hendricks’ Play Practices)
We adults take ourselves far too seriously.
We tighten, spiral, personalize, and turn tiny moments into big dramas without even noticing. The mind amps up, the shoulders rise, the breath shortens, and suddenly we’re living inside a story we never needed to write in the first place.
The truth?
Most things get clearer—not heavier—when we soften instead of brace.
That’s why Katie Hendricks’ work around play has been transformative for me. She constantly reminds us:
“Would you be willing to have a good time?”
That question isn’t about ignoring what’s real.
It’s about loosening the grip long enough to see a better way through.
Below are a few of my favorite play-based practices inspired by Katie’s teachings—simple things that shift energy, interrupt old patterns, and help you return to yourself with clarity and compassion.
1. “Love Scoops” — When You’re Feeling Tense or Judgmental
This one is pure magic.
Imagine a bowl of love in front of you.
Then scoop handfuls of that love onto your body—your heart, shoulders, arms, face—anywhere that feels tight or overwhelmed.
It’s playful.
It’s ridiculous.
It works.
This practice melts intensity, shifts energy in seconds, and brings you back into connection with yourself.
2. “Silly Walks” — When You’re Taking Yourself Too Seriously
Katie encourages us to use the body as the doorway to presence.
One way to shift seriousness is to change how you move.
Try a silly walk:
Exaggerated steps
Wiggle arms
Light bounce
A little strut
A goofy shuffle
You can do it alone in your kitchen or quietly in a grocery aisle.
It interrupts the trance of “I must be serious,” and suddenly you’re laughing at yourself in the best way.
3. “Shake Out the Drama” — When Your Mind Starts Spiraling
Drama lives in the body.
When the mind goes into a loop…
Shake it out.
Literally shake:
your hands,
your shoulders,
your legs,
your jaw,
your whole body.
Katie calls this moving from stuckness to flow.
In 10 seconds, the emotional charge lowers. You can breathe again. You can think again. Drama dissolves when the body wakes up.
4. “Wondering Instead of Worrying” — When You’re Feeling Fear or Control
Instead of tightening around fear, Katie invites playful curiosity.
Try replacing “What if everything goes wrong?” with:
“I wonder what else could be true.”
“I wonder what I haven’t noticed yet.”
“I wonder what this feeling is trying to show me.”
“I wonder what might be possible if I loosen my grip.”
Wonder opens.
Worry closes.
Play lives in wonder.
5. “The 30-Second Dance Break” — When You’re Stuck in Perfection or Pressure
Perfection freezes energy.
Play releases it.
When you catch yourself gripping, pushing, or trying to “get it right,” put on 30 seconds of music and dance like you’re five.
Not polished.
Not cute.
Not performative.
Just playful.
Let your body move however it wants—wiggles, hops, flops, spins.
The shift is immediate: pressure drains, creativity returns, and your nervous system resets.
6. “Blow Bubbles at Your Problems” — When You’re Feeling Victimized
This one is delightfully childlike.
Grab a bottle of bubbles (or pretend you’re holding one).
Blow bubbles toward whatever feels heavy.
A conflict.
A worry.
A fear.
A mistake.
It’s symbolic, sweet, and surprisingly profound.
Katie teaches that play dissolves the seriousness that keeps us stuck.
Bubbles do exactly that.
7. “Yes Breath” — When You Want to Lighten Up Emotionally
This is a gentle way to invite expansion rather than resistance.
Take a deep breath in with a soft, inward “yes.”
Exhale with a relaxed sigh.
This breath is playful, inviting, and shifts the tone from “I must brace” to “I am open.”
Katie often uses this to help us come back into connection with choice, ease, and presence.
Why Play Works
Play is not childish.
Play is wisdom.
Play:
breaks patterns
loosens fear
quiets drama
opens creativity
relaxes the nervous system
melts defensiveness
returns us to truth
reconnects us with joy
This is why Katie teaches that play is a path to presence.
When we get serious, we get tight.
When we loosen, we see clearly again.
Give Yourself Permission to Have a Good Time
Let yourself:
Laugh.
Be silly.
Try something weird.
Move your body differently.
Interrupt your “I must get it right” pattern.
Let go of control in small, playful ways.
Life doesn’t get easier because we grip harder.
It gets lighter because we soften.
Play isn’t a distraction from growth—
play IS the path to growth.
And you deserve to feel that ease.
Much love as you explore,
Julie
The Hope Coach