THE POWER OF PLAYFULNESS

inspiration

The Power of Playfulness

by Marlaina Donato

Mirth has been a memory for most of us this past year; something that we need now more than ever. White-knuckle survival and transition can drain neurotransmitters, those chemical messengers vital for strong immunity and good mental health. Taking a vacation from seriousness just might be what the doctor ordered.

As kids, we rarely turned down an opportunity to roll in the grass, laugh ourselves into bellyaches or catch a wave of spontaneous fun. With the advent of adulthood, pouring a drink or going on a shopping spree often becomes a knee-jerk relaxation strategy, leaving the option for nourishing play in the distant past.

Recent research shows what kids and kittens already know: Snippets of playtime are good for the soul and provide benefits like reduced depression, stronger emotional resilience and higher productivity on the job. A study by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, in Germany, published last year in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being suggests that even serious, poker-faced humans can train themselves to be more playful.

Postponing levity accomplishes nothing and doesn’t solve today’s problems, yet we may find it almost impossible to grab downtime without guilt gnawing away at our joy. Try making a to-do list that is solely dedicated to pure, inner-childapproved, illogical fun. Some activities to consider penciling into the calendar:

n Roll around the floor with the dog or play hide-and-go-seek with the kids.

n Host an adult sleepover; stay up late watching a scary movie or one made for a younger audience.

n Make ink blots with watercolors or play with air-dry clay or easy-to-make salt dough. n Blow bubbles in the backyard or during a morning shower.

n Go out for low- or sugar-free ice cream or gluten-free pizza.

n Fly a kite or find shapes and faces in passing clouds.

n Roll in the leaves or down a grassy hill with that special someone.

n Bounce a ball during work breaks.

n Belt out karaoke songs and delight in being off-key.

n Play charades or a favorite childhood game.

n Have a staring contest.

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Having some fun doesn’t break the bank, and the only requirement is to check self-consciousness at the door. “Wasting” time is being free, and that is worth its weight in gold.

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer of healing and inspiring music. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

it’s simply decayed organic material. Consider all the organic materials that fall to the forest floor, break down and return to the earth. This process can be easily recreated at home.

To start composting, get a couple of containers.

skórzewiak/AdobeStock.com n A covered kitchen bucket. Beautiful containers abound, but an old pan will work. Countertop positioning makes it easy to toss in kitchen scraps, but it could also be placed under the sink or in the freezer. A review of several options can be found at TheSpruceEats.com.

n A yard bin or pile. Due to critters and pets, a lid is recommended. Gardening stores sell compost bins, but they can be made using instructions at Homesteading.com.

Bins in place, start collecting and piling. Organic materials will break down—it’s just a matter of time. The pile should consist of yard waste (grass clippings, plant scraps, small sticks) and kitchen waste (peels, cores, eggshells, tea leaves, coffee grounds, bread). Do not include invasive weeds, meat, bones, dairy products, oils or pet excrement.

The basic recipe is a mix of nitrogen-rich/green materials (food waste, grass clippings, plant trimmings) and carbon-rich/brown materials (dried leaves, sticks, shredded newspaper or cardboard). Shoot for 25 percent green materials.

Composting Made Easy

Turn Food Waste into ‘Black Gold’

Just 3 percent of uneaten food in the U.S. is composted, reported the Natural Resources Defense Council in 2012. The remaining food scraps rotting in landfills account for 23 percent of U.S. methane emissions, a greenhouse gas at least 25 times more powerful than carbon monoxide in global warming. With minimal planning and effort, however, food scraps can be recycled through composting into an organic, high-nutrient fertilizer.

Compost is called “black gold” for its high value in gardening, but

An unbalanced pile can be amended.

n If it’s wet, moldy or stinky, add more brown materials and stir with a pitchfork to increase oxygen flow and loosen the pile.

n A pile that is too dry will take longer to break down. Add kitchen scraps, green grass clippings or sprinkle with water to encourage microbial activity.

A balanced pile that is stirred or turned weekly will decay the fastest. Seeing worms and other soil organisms in the pile is a good sign that the process is working.

Finished compost looks like dark, rich soil. Spread it onto the garden in the spring. Scoop some into the holes for new plants. Side dress plants all season.

Compost releases nutrients gradually, improves soil condition and helps retain water. Plants thrive with better root systems. Compost gardeners reap bountiful harvests.