Feeling down? The world is going to hell in a handcart and there’s nothing you can do about it? Scientists say, “Try lemonading!”
“Lemonading” is a horrible word for an idea identified by psychologists that actually makes sense.
Boost Resilience
Studying people who seem to be more resilient, researchers found – to quote a recent article – “They don’t necessarily do different activities or do them more often than others. But they experience these activities more deeply – with greater immersion, mental engagement and joy.”
In a study of 503 Americans, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, Dr Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen and colleagues looked at how they coped with the pandemic.
The interesting thing is that those with higher levels of spontaneity and a greater sense of fun were more resilient. But while you might expect them to be living in cloud-cuckoo land, they were just as realistic about challenges and risks. They just dealt with them differently.
Dr Shen goes on to say, “Play is a rehearsal for life.”
A good laugh on the mat
Personally, I like that. I’ve spent most of my life trying to avoid doing anything serious. I first learnt that at school, where writing creatively often got me out of doing harder work.
I discovered it again with Aikido, where fun and a good laugh on the mat is encouraged, rather than frowned upon. Well, in the best dojos, IMHO.
Have fun and remember to keep playing. It’s the best way to stay real and resilient.
Read more:
Wallowing in a soup of despair? Try ‘lemonading’ to buck the gloom