The Playful Way: Creativity, Connection, and Joy Through Everyday Moments of Play

A playful attitude can boost creativity, health, and happiness, according to this upbeat outing from Gelardi (Style Stalking), cofounder of Refinery 29. She argues that while adults tend to believe play is “frivolous” or incompatible with success, it actually strengthens pliability and adaptability in ways that improve problem-solving, boost fulfillment, and foster connection. She explores how a robust imagination can expand one’s sense of possibility by creating “neural pathways that prepare us for new experiences,” while creative expression can “transform our relationship with the unknown and the feared” or facilitate connection during dark moments. Recalling how a night spent singing karaoke became a surprising outlet for her grief over a recent miscarriage, Gelardi observes that play “doesn’t always mean joy or laughter; sometimes it means creative engagement with our grief, a way to befriend it rather than hide from it.” Vivid personal anecdotes and tools for incorporating creativity into one’s day-to-day buttress Gelardi’s argument, and her spunky tone is infectious. The result is a welcome reminder to color outside the lines. (Apr.)