“Go outside and play!”
I’m willing to bet that, like me, that’s something you used to hear a lot when you were a kid. Or maybe you didn’t even need to be told—you just went outside to play because that’s what you did.
That’s what kids do.
Riding bikes, swimming, adventures in the woods…all part of growing up. Dirty hands and scraped knees were part of the fun, and no one was giving out awards for any of these things. We just had to be home on time (and hope our younger siblings didn’t rat us out on our more questionable adventures).
Then somewhere along the way—maybe in our teens, when we became “cool”—the playing stopped for many of us.
Sure, we may have been playing school sports, but school sports are competitive, and that’s a little different from what I’m talking about here.
I’m talking about playing for simple joy and curiosity, because that’s what you want to be doing. Being completely absorbed in an activity, not as a means to an end—like winning a trophy or burning calories—but simply because it’s fun in the moment.
When Did Movement Become So Serious?
These days, everything we do that involves moving our bodies seems to involve tracking, monitoring, and some sort of structure or routine. Something we “should” be doing because it’s good for us.
Walking becomes getting our steps. Riding a bike or dancing becomes minutes of cardio. Swimming becomes laps.
I’m not saying that all of that doesn’t have significant value, because it does.
I’m just pointing out that adulthood has a way of turning even enjoyable things into structured “to-do’s”—complete with goals, expectations, and another way to measure whether we’re doing enough.
Where is the fun in that?
When we were younger, none of that really mattered.
And if we didn’t like the game or we weren’t good at it, we either changed it or didn’t play. Now, a lot of us force ourselves to do things we may not enjoy in the name of health, while not doing things we might enjoy more because they “don’t count.”
What If It Didn’t Have to Count?
What if movement wasn’t something on your daily checklist, but an invitation to feel more alive?
Think about how different it feels to go for a walk just to see what’s blooming or what the neighborhood is up to. Or to hop on a bike with no agenda other than to feel the wind on your face and see where the road takes you.
No pace to maintain, no heart rate to target. Just you, fully present, engaging with the world around you.
I think midlife is the perfect time to take a step back toward that earlier time in our lives when we were able to enjoy unabashed play.
What did you enjoy doing before movement started coming with a rulebook?
Think about it for a minute. Maybe it was riding the swings and playing on the monkey bars. Maybe it was scrambling up a rocky trail just to see what’s hidden in the woods. Maybe it was swimming and playing in the water until long after your fingers were pruned.
I Had Forgotten How Much I Loved to Play
Personally, I always enjoyed climbing trees, monkey bars, whatever…and it was something I had completely forgotten about. I don’t know when I stopped climbing on stuff, but it wasn’t something I gave much thought to over the years.
Until I started training for a Spartan Race.
I spent so much time lifting weights, doing pushups and burpees, and struggling to do a pull-up. I simply could not seem to build the upper-body strength to succeed in that kind of sport.
And then I decided to try rock climbing as a last-hope training strategy.
Five minutes in, the movement seemed distantly familiar and completely natural. I was fully engaged and thoroughly enjoying myself.
The strategy worked. It wasn’t long before I could do a pull-up, at thirty-something years old, for the first time in my life. I was having so much fun, and I was stronger than I had ever been.
I was hooked.
For me, rock climbing is play. Hours pass unnoticed. My fingers bleed at times. If I’m climbing outside, I’m mosquito food for the whole forest, and I get dirty and scratched up. But I don’t care. It’s worth it to me.
And I have not one time ever thought, “I still need to do another 20 minutes,” or, “I don’t really feel like doing that today.”
Not once.
That really helps with consistency.
I’m not saying rock climbing is for everyone. I’m saying there might be a better, more enjoyable way to incorporate more movement into your life.
So, think about the things you used to enjoy doing—start there. You might find that you still enjoy them.
Health Isn’t Just Physical
Health and wellness are not just physical pursuits.
Health is also about your stress levels dropping when you step into the woods. It’s the spark of curiosity when you notice something new on a familiar trail. It’s the pure joy of doing something because it makes you smile or brings you peace.
Reclaiming play in midlife doesn’t mean you have to abandon your routine or give up structured exercise, especially if you enjoy it or it keeps you motivated.
It’s about balance and allowing yourself the freedom to step outside of “responsible adulthood” once in a while without a shred of guilt.
Somewhere along the line, we bought into the idea that if movement isn’t quantifiable, it isn’t valuable. We’ve been conditioned to believe that unless an activity makes us sweat, hits a specific metric, or fits neatly into a workout plan, we’re somehow wasting our time.
And that couldn’t be further from the truth.
You’re a grown-up now. You don’t need permission to unplug from the data and the targets. You don’t have to be home before dark, and you don’t have to justify spending an hour—or three—on an activity you enjoy.
So the next time you head out the door, leave the expectations behind and just go play.
Leave a comment