Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that maturity equals seriousness. That being an adult means being composed, productive, and slightly exhausted at all times. Playfulness became something we were supposed to outgrow, like cartoon pajamas or eating cereal for dinner. But what if staying young has nothing to do with age, and everything to do with permission?
I’m playful. And yes, I admit, even silly at times. I laugh loudly. I dance in my kitchen. I do things simply because I want to have fun or make someone laugh. I want to be happy. I want to laugh as much as possible. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want to grow up! I’m proud to say I’m 61 years old, and I refuse to act like that means I can’t have fun anymore. Fully and unapologetically.
And you know what? No one ever thinks I’m that old. And I have a theory why. I truly believe that acting young is actually keeping me young.
I didn’t know if that was just my happy-go-lucky personality talking, so I decided to do a little research – and here’s what I learned. What keeps us young isn’t pretending we’re 25 or chasing trends. It’s staying engaged, and emotionally alive.
It’s playfulness. Laughing, flirting, being silly, moving your body for joy. That signals vitality to our nervous system. It’s curiosity. Learning new things literally keeps our brains younger. Stagnation ages us way faster than birthdays do. Our connections are a factor well. Did you know loving relationships slow emotional aging? Or that Loneliness can truly accelerate it? Living with purpose is also powerful. A 2014 study in Psychological Science found that people with a strong sense of purpose had a 15 to 20 percent lower mortality rate compared to those without purpose. It seems vanity fights time. Purpose cooperates with it.
The truth is, being serious or being playful isn’t right or wrong. It’s temperament. It’s wiring. It’s how we each move through the world. The serious ones bring steadiness and structure. The playful ones bring light and levity. One builds the container. The other reminds us to enjoy what’s inside it. We need both. The world works because of both. Thank goodness! because I love being silly, and if you’re anything like me, you are relieved also!
Now, before the serious people mutter something about responsibility, hear me out. I am a grown woman. I raised two children. I keep appointments. I run a business. I know how to show up when life is hard. But I refuse to believe that adulthood requires the death of joy, playfulness and laughter.
Trust me, I get it. My husband Brian is serious. Thoughtful.
Grounded. There are times when I am being ridiculous, and Brian looks at me, shakes his head, and gives me that look that says, “I married this woman?” And while we tease each other about it, that contrast has quietly strengthened our marriage. He grounds me. I lighten him. I purposely try to bring out the playfulness in him. I know it’s in there. Sometimes I just wish he would “let loose,” so he can feel the joy and happiness I feel.
Here’s what we playful people know and the serious people sometimes forget. Play softens us. Laughter lightens the emotional load. Joy reminds us we are more than our responsibilities.
Play shows up in a thousand small ways. Watching animated movies and laughing at the jokes clearly written for adults. Dancing like no one is watching. Laughing at yourself. Being a little ridiculous on purpose. These moments are not frivolous. They are regulating. They calm the nervous system. They invite connection. They remind us that life is meant to be enjoyed, not just managed.
Okay, so to the serious ones reading this, I see you. I really do. Your steadiness matters. Your reliability matters. This world needs you!
You keep things running. You hold things together. And even you, yes, you deserve moments of lightness. You deserve to laugh until your stomach hurts. Wink!
And to the playful ones, keep going. Your lightness is not immaturity. It is courage. It takes bravery to stay soft in a world that rewards hardness. Especially nowadays. Be playful. Be silly. When you lead with joy, others feel safer to do the same. That ripple matters.
The bottom line is, growing older is inevitable. Growing joyless is truly optional. So if you want to stay young, act young. Laugh more. Play more. Be a little ridiculous. The world may tell us seriousness equals maturity. But let’s not buy into that. Joy keeps us young. Seriousness builds careers. Play builds connection. One fills your calendar. The other fills your life. Choose wisely.
