The Power of Play

Today’s Miracle Moment Is About The Power of Play (How Joy Heals When Hustle Can’t)…

You’re not lazy. You’re just exhausted. And not because you’re doing nothing, but because you’ve been holding everything together for everyone. You show up for people. You care. You’re responsible. You carry the weight.

But when was the last time you felt lightness? Freedom? Joy?

That’s what play offers. And not as a break from reality—but as a return to your joyful self.

Play isn’t childish. It’s sacred. It’s how your nervous system breathes more life. It’s how your joy returns. And you are worthy of that joy.

I learned the value of play the hard way.

I grew up with hardworking parents who believed that accomplishment was everything. I remember calling home in my 20s and 30s, and every time they asked how I was doing, I’d say, “I’m really, really busy.” And they’d respond with approval. Busy meant successful. I learned that the busier I was, the better I must be doing.

And I got *really* good at being busy. I became an accomplishment addict. I had long to-do lists, and if I didn’t check off enough things, I felt bad. Even holidays weren’t immune—there always had to be something productive happening.

Here’s the thing: checking off tasks releases dopamine. And dopamine is addictive. So I kept chasing achievement, but I never felt like I’d “arrived.” Joy and play were always postponed for a finish line that kept moving. It was a constant state of striving.

Then one day, a consultant I worked with—a Vedic astrologer named Bill—shifted my perspective. He told me I had strong Saturn influence in my chart, which often brings delays, challenges, and a strong work ethic. I asked him how to balance that energy.

He said three words that stunned me: “Stupid. Mindless. Fun.”

I thought, “Are you kidding? What a waste of time!”

But he explained that stupid mindless fun would actually help me accomplish *more*—by allowing me to relax and reset.

So I tried. I went to surf camp with a friend. I caught one tiny wave and realized it was more work than fun. I took up pickleball with my husband and enjoyed it—until I got competitive and turned it into another form of striving. I had to take a break and come back to it with a new mindset: just play for the joy of it, not to be “good.”

One thing that consistently brings me joy without any pressure is bowling. I don’t care about the score—it’s just fun.

And then came the greatest teacher of play in my life: my dog, Leela. Her name means “divine play” in Sanskrit. And boy, does she live up to it.

From the moment she wakes up, she’s ready to run, play fetch, and jump into joy. Just watching her reminds me how healing and important play really is. Throwing a ball for 10 minutes isn’t “productive,” but it *is* joyful. And that counts.

So here’s what I want you to know:
Play is sacred. It’s a medicine most of us have forgotten we need.

Science shows that play boosts serotonin, oxytocin, and calms your nervous system. It helps you reconnect to creativity. It raises your energetic vibration—and since we live in a vibrational universe, that’s a big deal.

Spiritually, play is a portal. It brings you into the present moment. It softens the ego and returns you to that childlike wonder where miracles feel natural.

If you have trouble giving yourself permission to play, here are three powerful shifts to help:

Shift #1: Play rebuilds your energy.
Play doesn’t just burn energy—it restores it. You don’t need to run around like a kid. Dance in your living room for five minutes. Watch a comedy video. I recently laughed so hard at an old Carol Burnett and Jerry Lewis video that my husband had to check if I was okay. That’s the power of play.

Shift #2: Play breaks the burnout loop.
So many of us are carrying chronic stress. World events, personal challenges, constant uncertainty—they add up. Play interrupts that anxiety cycle. It brings back healthy energy. Take a Zumba class. Try improv. Do something outside your usual routine.

Shift #3: Play reconnects you to who you really are.
We all wear a thousand hats—at work, at home, with friends. We try to look a certain way, be polished, be “enough.” But underneath it all is your truest self—the silly, curious, joyful self. The one who’s not trying to prove anything. The one who *already is* enough.

Think about the energy it takes to be perfect. Now compare it to the energy of being in the moment, laughing, doing something just for fun. That’s the energy of the real you.

So this week, here’s your invitation to step into the Miracle Zone: Do something that is stupid, mindless fun.

It might be something you loved as a child. Something new you try with zero expectations. Something playful that you *don’t* post about online.

Just do it for *you*. For the present moment. For the joy of remembering who you really are.

Dance. Draw. Build a pillow fort. Be silly. Play isn’t a detour from your purpose—it’s part of living it.

Play is a prayer in motion.

You’re not lazy for needing to play. You’re not weak for wanting joy. And you’re *definitely* not broken for being tired of the hustle.

You are human.

And when you stop chasing productivity and start opening to fun and joy—that’s when the real miracles begin.

Please share your answer below, “What will you do this week that’s just stupid, mindless fun?”