Healing Isn’t Just Tears and Therapy: Why Playfulness Might Be the Missing Piece
Somewhere along the way, healing got branded as hard. Heavy. Exhausting. Like it only “counts” if you cry through every breakthrough or spend hours journaling your way into clarity.
But…
Healing can also look like dancing in your kitchen.
Swimming in the sea.
Laughing so hard your stomach hurts.
Or saying “no thanks” and finally meaning it.
Yes, healing is deep. Yes, it takes courage. But it also takes lightness.
Because when we only focus on the hard stuff, the therapy sessions, the shadow work, the endless self-improvement projects, we drain ourselves.
And when we forget how to play, we lose one of the most powerful medicines available to us.
Playfulness: The Secret Sauce of Wellbeing
There’s a reason why kids bounce back faster than adults.
They don’t hold back their laughter. They find joy in the small stuff. They turn cardboard boxes into castles and rainy days into adventures.
Playfulness isn’t childish. It’s vital.
When you bring more humor, spontaneity, and lightheartedness into your daily life, you:
✨ Boost your mood and energy (hello, dopamine + endorphins)
✨ Reduce stress and calm your nervous system
✨ Build emotional stamina and resilience
✨ Strengthen your relationships through laughter and shared fun
It’s not just fun, it’s functional.
The Science of Play (Why It Works for High-Functioning Women)
If you identify as a high-functioning woman, chances are you’re already juggling a million responsibilities: work deadlines, family logistics, invisible mental loads, and the constant hum of “what’s next.”
Burnout doesn’t always come as a dramatic collapse, sometimes it seeps in like fog. Quiet. Creeping. Suffocating.
Play is the counterbalance.
When you move, laugh, or allow yourself to be silly, you regulate your nervous system in real-time. Instead of running on empty, you refill your emotional tank.
Think of play as preventative medicine for burnout. A reset button you can hit every single day.
How to Bring Play Into Your Daily Life
Here’s the good news: you don’t need a stage, a piano bar, or even a free weekend to invite more play into your life. You can start small and yes, even during a busy week.
Try one (or all) of these:
Dance in your kitchen — Put on your favourite throwback song and move like no one’s watching. (Bonus points if your kids or partner join in.)
Make funny faces — At your kids, your pet, or even yourself in the mirror. It sounds ridiculous, but laughter lowers cortisol instantly.
Break your routine — Take a different route on your walk. Eat dinner picnic-style on the lounge floor. Tiny rule-breaking sparks joy.
Play a game — A board game, card game, or even trivia night with friends. Shared laughter = instant connection.
Be unapologetically silly — Let yourself be the “bad dancer,” the loud singer in the car, the one who belly-laughs at dad jokes.
Try something new — A pottery class, a trampoline park, or even a TikTok dance tutorial. Novelty wakes up your brain and reminds you you’re alive.
Should I Buy a Cha Cha Machine for the Backyard?
Honestly, I’ve thought about it.
What if we had spaces designed not just for productivity, but for play? A place to let loose, laugh until your sides hurt, and shake off the heaviness of the week.
Because if healing is about reclaiming all parts of ourselves, the deep, the silly, the wild, then creating room for joy is non-negotiable.
Final Thoughts: Healing Through Lightness
Healing doesn’t have to mean endless tears or serious breakthroughs.
It’s also joy. Laughter. Freedom.
When you give yourself permission to play, you reclaim energy, confidence, and resilience in ways no productivity hack ever will.
So here’s my challenge to you:
👉 What are you doing today to invite playfulness into your life?
👉 How can you create space for your untamed, wild self to dance free?
And if you’re ready to take this even deeper, to combine healing with growth, courage with joy, and support with lightness that’s exactly what we do inside Confidence Reclaimed.
It’s a 12-month journey for high-functioning women ready to stop running on fumes and start living fully with coaching, masterclasses, and a community that gets it.
📌 [Learn more about Confidence Reclaimed here →]
Gayle xx
