Written by Francine Baffa, LICSW, BCBA-D
Edited by Joe DeNoon
Yes! The sense of inquiry is what motivates us and initiates us — or call to action, an energy that ignites and fuels our passion.
Being an educator was not always a gift for my son — everything had the potential of being a “teachable moment” or better yet “theme-based” — for example, our trip to New Orleans became the Creole Experience right down to music and food. There was also the 2-year period where we only traveled to Spanish-speaking countries in the plan to promote bilingual fluency. I admit it must not have been easy! But then there is the flip side — I was “creating an interest in learning.” (Or so I hoped!)
He attended a Montessori school where the desire to know more was fostered and isn’t that what it is all about — asking those questions that help to define us and what we live in. The point being — without curiosity, there’s little impetus to discover or explore. I believe we need to celebrate and encourage this creativity to find creative solutions.
In this blog, I would like to encourage you to consider the power of play, something especially challenging when the world and work around us feels heavy. Playfulness is woven into the fabric of our day-to-day lives. A creative spirit helps to alleviate tension, lower stress, and elevate mood. It allows us access to enhanced states of creativity, imagination, intelligence, and relief.
How do we begin? I suggest we find a way to embrace an intentional life.
Recently I had a friend awake from a seven-day coma last week. She suffered a severe allergic reaction to a medication. Happy to say that she is now recovering, she is one very lucky woman, blessed indeed. This situation, however, started me wondering just how many of us just go through life on auto-pilot — meaning you’re living almost subconsciously and by habit instead of living intentionally and with meaning.
“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.” ~Pema Chodron
Much like arriving at a familiar destination in your car and having no idea how you got there, living life on auto-pilot steals moments right out from under you. It’s so easy to zone out. It’s okay to let it happen occasionally, but for the most part, living mindfully means paying attention to every moment we are lucky enough to experience. The aim is to live reflectively rather than reflexively.
Simply because airplanes can operate on complete auto-pilot doesn’t mean that humans should follow their lead! On the airwaves of your life, you’re the one navigating. Choose your destination, feel the wind in your hair, thrive in the experience, and feel the excitement every part of the way.