Recreating Joy

Are you incorporating recreation into your life regularly?

Recreation is defined as ‘activity done for enjoyment.’ It comes from the Latin ‘recreare’ which means to create again, renew, restore or revive.

Recreation is a great way to re-create your energy, improve your attitude and build resilience. Here’s why:

1. Recreation makes you physically healthier. Experts tell us that people who regularly participate in some sort of recreational activity have lower blood pressure, healthier bodies and handle stress better.
2. Recreation makes you mentally stronger. It gives a mental boost. After going for a bike ride, gardening or fishing you feel more relaxed and refreshed. This gives an instant pick-me-up and if done regularly has long-term benefits like improved focus and clarity.
3. Recreation strengthens your social connections. If you’re playing a pick-up game of basketball, bowling on a team or golfing with your friends you’re reinforcing those connections and may be making new friends, too. Camping, swimming or having a family game night can enhance your family ties.

If you’re in the midst of a personal challenge or work crisis you may think there’s no time for recreation. Just taking a few minutes to walk down the hall, listen to some music or put together a puzzle can be therapeutic. Recreational Therapists routinely use games, sports, crafts and other recreational activities to help their patients improve physical, cognitive, social and emotional functioning.

Remember—it’s supposed to be fun! If family game night turns into a fierce competition, golfing with your buddies becomes a source of frustration or going for a walk turns into a quest for getting 10,000 steps on your fitness tracker you’re missing the point. Sure the exercise of 10,000 steps can benefit you physically as exercise, dedication to golf can turn into developing a skillful swing and winning at Monopoly can teach little Jessie about the economy but if it isn’t fun is isn’t recreation.

Recreation is activity done for enjoyment. Enjoy it!

Myra McElhaney is an author and speaker who helps people to Enjoy Life and Do Good! Learn more at www.MyraMcElhaney.com. Her memoir, Building A Life You Love After Losing the Love of Your Life is available on Amazon.com.