Recently one of the providers on our team here at Thrive Ahead got a package of mini ducks and started to hide some of them around the office. Finding one of these little quackers as I am going about my day absolutely delights me!
It has become a fun game among our team members—we send pictures of any spotted duckies and then hide them again for someone else to find. It’s funny how something so simple can shift the energy of a space, turning an ordinary day into something a little more playful.
Small Acts of Playfulness: Bringing Joy to Everyday Moments
It got me thinking about all the other times I’ve seen people inject playfulness into everyday life—like when someone sticks googly eyes on a water faucet, or leaves stickers or whimsical notes in unusual places.
Sometimes, you’ll even notice miniature fairy doors or tiny art installations mysteriously popping up in unexpected spots. These acts, though seemingly trivial and serving no practical purpose, resonate deeply with our human need for connection and joy.
I like to see them as tiny rebellions against a world that often feels too structured, too serious, too much. They remind us of something we tend to forget as adults: play isn’t just for kids—it’s a vital part of living fully and joyfully.
What Is Play?
Play, at its core, is anything done for its own sake. No agenda, no productivity metrics, no five-step plan for self-improvement—just engaging with the world in a way that sparks joy, curiosity, or connection. Kids do this instinctively.
They make up games, turn sticks into swords, see faces in clouds. Adults? Not so much.
We get trained out of it, told to be serious, to be efficient, to keep our heads down and get things done.
But here’s the thing: we don’t actually outgrow our need for play. We just bury it under responsibility, stress, and the misguided belief that fun is something we have to “earn.”
The problem with that is that it leads to a life without play, a life without breathers, without unexpected delight, without those weird, wonderful moments that make the grind feel worth it.
Image from: Thrive Ahead Co. Team. The adventures of tiny duck.
Why Play Matters for Mental Health
Play is essential for our well-being. It gives our nervous system a break, reminds us that joy doesn’t have to be scheduled, and helps us connect with others in ways that aren’t transactional. It’s also one of the best ways to interrupt anxiety and burnout.
When we play, we step outside the endless loop of overthinking and into a state of presence. Our brains get to switch gears, our bodies get to move differently, and—at least for a moment—the weight we carry feels a little lighter.
From a scientific perspective, play has a direct impact on the nervous system. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us feel safe and relaxed, counteracting the stress response of fight-or-flight mode (Porges, 2011).
It also boosts dopamine (the brain’s feel-good chemical) and oxytocin (which strengthens social bonds), while lowering cortisol, the stress hormone (Gordon et al., 2013). Essentially, play isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s biologically wired into us as a tool for resilience and connection.
The Unique Nature of Play
One of the things that makes play so powerful is that it isn’t about achievement, productivity, or external validation.
It’s different from work, obligations, or even structured hobbies because it’s intrinsically motivated—meaning we do it simply because we enjoy it (Brown & Vaughan, 2009). It’s also flexible, engaging, and absorbing, often putting us into a flow state, where time feels like it disappears (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Play meets a whole range of human needs:
- Connection & Belonging – It fosters bonding, trust, and shared joy.
- Emotional Regulation – It provides a safe way to release tension and shift mood states.
- Exploration & Learning – It helps us experiment, take risks, and adapt to uncertainty.
- Self-Expression & Identity – It allows for creativity and exploration of different aspects of self.
- Autonomy & Freedom – It gives us choice and agency in a world full of rules and expectations.
- Restoration & Joy – It offers a much-needed break from stress and seriousness.
Image from: Thrive Ahead Co. Team. The adventures of tiny duck.
That’s why trends like leaving rubber ducks or googly eyes matter. They inject play into places where it isn’t expected; they invite us to pause, to notice, to laugh.
So even if we never find out who left that tiny surprise behind, there’s still a quiet connection in knowing that someone, somewhere, decided to make the world just a little weirder, a little more fun—just because they could.
The Discomfort of Play
The tricky part? A lot of us resist play because it makes us feel vulnerable. It can feel childish, pointless, even embarrassing. When you’ve spent years measuring your worth by productivity, allowing yourself to do something “just for fun” can feel…wrong.
Yet, if we never push past that discomfort, we miss out on something essential.
Because play isn’t just about fun—it’s about freedom. The freedom to be a little ridiculous and the freedom to engage with the world in a way that isn’t purely functional.
It’s about the freedom to exist outside of roles and expectations, even for a moment. In a society that constantly demands we prove our worth through work, that kind of freedom is radical.
Final Thoughts: Making Room for Play
You don’t have to start leaving ducks on random doorsteps (though I won’t stop you). But finding ways to play—really play—is worth it.
Maybe that looks like doodling in the margins of your notebook, dancing in your kitchen, or trying something new without worrying about whether you’re good at it. Or, it’s adding a little absurdity to your daily life just to see what happens.
Whatever it is, give yourself permission. Let play show up in unexpected ways, let it be weird, let it be useless, and let it matter anyway.
Because if there’s one thing we don’t need less of in this world, it’s joy.
Let’s embark on this journey together! Ready to rediscover a less stressful relationship with play, with a community who just gets it? Check out our groups.
Meet the Founder
Jenn is the incredible founder behind Thrive Ahead Co. and is a licensed clinical professional counselor. Currently, she is accepting clients for her career counseling services. Jenn is an active guide for her clients, is involved, approachable and attentive.
“You can bet that in a tough session, we’ll still find ways to connect with humor as I truly believe when used well it’s one of the most integrating skills we can have, to know and hold this lightness at the same time as the seriousness and even pain that life brings us.” Schedule A Consultation Call Today Here
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References
- Brown, S., & Vaughan, C. (2009). Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. Avery.
- Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.
- Gordon, N. S., Burke, S., Akil, H., Watson, S. J., & Panksepp, J. (2013). Social play behavior: Activation of opioid systems in the brain. Behavioural Brain Research, 239, 74-84.
- Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation. W.W. Norton & Company.
Let’s embark on this journey together! Ready to rediscover a less stressful relationship with change, with a community who just gets it? Check out our groups.
