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Caree Brown L.C.S.W. Psychotherapy

Individual, Couples, & Family Therapy

www.careebrown.com

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Playing is Serious Business

When couples first start dating, they are usually all smiles, take things lightly, and laugh easily at themselves and each other. They make take the rest of their lives very seriously, but somehow they are able to encapsulate their relationship with this kind of playful, light-hearted energy.

After time take its toll, however, this bubble of magic seems to burst and the business of managing our lives takes its place. We become more serious about everything, including our relationship and ourselves, and our lives become conflicted.  Defensiveness, annoyances and power struggles ensue, partly because that magical protection of  playfulness is no longer there to soften the harsh realities of our lives.

What if we could maintain and nurture that delicious life-giving energy between us?  What if we could worry less about what other people think, about our need for perfection, about our laundry list of chores? What if we could let go, let go, let go?  Yes,we need to individually let go of our preoccupations. We need to give ourselves permission to be in the moment. What can we surrender that brings us this gift of energy and joy? We need to feel ourselves WORTHY of fun if we are going to be able to create and share this energy of fun and lightness between us!

Many people think they can put off their fun times and their upbeat attitude until after all their business is taken care of.  But life never slows down with its many demands on our time and energy. Unless we stay abreast and attempt to actually BALANCE OUT the inherent seriousness of life with our own antidote of a fun and playful attitude,  we lose out on an amazing source of sustenance for not only ourselves, but for our children as well.

Our children will learn from us whether life is only a struggle and needs to be endured . . . .or something to be relished with gratitude, amusement, and joy. And remember that when we can laugh at ourselves, and each other, we will never cease to be amused!

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