It's Playtime!

Dear Readers,
While I was practicing my yoga today, I realized what makes it so fun for me.
It's playing!
The studio I practice at is a joyful place.
I have met many fun people there.
The teachers are funny, kind, and open.
It's playing at its best.
Like in the sandbox, with friends. 

Playing is important in my life. 
These are times when I feel pure joy and freedom.
When I am in a place of play, I feel engaged, connected, and in the flow of life.
When I was teaching, I often had moments of pure joy, a feeling of playing.

Drinking often stopped that playfulness.
Instead of adding quality fun to my life, I depleted my play by only seeing drinking as my playtime. Bartenders were my playmates.
I thought drinking made me fun and playful, but that wasn't real play.

I am now rediscovering how I can add more play, playmates, and playtimes into my life. I am lucky in that my Loved One loves playing too!
I love biking, walking, taking photos, blogging, yoga, and clothes!
Meeting friends for coffee is playing! 
I was thinking that even reading the paper in the morning with my coffee seems like playing!
My drawing class will start in April. I hope that becomes another way to play.

Playing helps me heal.
Playing helps keep my depression away.
Having a playful attitude in life expands my life. 
When I am playing, I have feelings of pure joy. 
The wind in your hair kind of feeling.

From the book, Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfullness and Self-Compassion, by Elisa Goldstein, PhD:

Notice times you can savor.

Say to yourself:
1. "This is a good moment."
2. "In life there are good moments (or joyful moments)."
3. "Can I bring gratitude to this moment?"

Today as I write this post, drinking coffee in my favorite coffee shop, watching people, laughing with the coffee shop workers, I can say, "This is a good moment."

To all my friends in recovery, I wish you moments of joy and play today!