The Lardner Report

Unleash your creative superpowers!

Dear Ada, Thank You For The Moment

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(Pic #1) The handiwork of a youngster I assume is named Ada.

A drive-by chalking hits my heart hard.

In my corporate workshops, I’m always preaching the benefits of PLAY. Experts say spontaneity and self-expression are important for nurturing creativity and even compassion. Play also helps mitigate burnout — which I think we can all appreciate right about now.

Yet, it’s an element of our lives that disappears once we hit adolescence —  “a time when obsessing over how other people see us and what they might think becomes the norm.”

So how do we reclaim our practice of play? Well, we can start by learning from Ada, the young artist who left her mark on a basketball court last week in Westlake Village, California. (Pic #1) I nearly tripped over her work on my way to an exercise class, and I just had to stop, and savor this little gem.

There it was — right under my feet — a Stegosaurus carefully drawn in bright pinks and sky blue — in a form that oozed fearlessness and playfulness. I pictured Ada watching her older brother play ball, and suddenly reaching for her colored box of chalks. She never questioned whether her chalking would be good or not — she Just drew.

I was so inspired by her Steg, I broke out my favorite pencils and started sketching little monsters of my own. So while I have never even met my mysterious muse, Ada’s art is doing its job….sparking more fresh new work by simply “pressing play.”

Jan 01 — Need A Resolution? Press Play!

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(Pic #1) Young artists at play, Van Ness Recreation Center, South Central Los Angeles.

Solution for our grand delusions

You now have permission to trash impossible declarations like, “I’m losing 50 pounds this year.” There’s actually a better one. Research shows the pressure and unpredictability of the past two years have left us tense, depressed, and anxious. The solution, according to one Harvard psychologist — is PLAY.

Dr. Natalie Dattilo, a clinical psychologist at Harvard Medical School says, “Adults desperately need to have some fun — and for the sake of our mental health — there’s no time like now.” — Doctor’s orders.

Whether you’re shooting hoops, or throwing clay, Dattilo says play has enormous health benefits, like a pumped up sense of well being:

Mood – Play makes us laugh, releasing endorphins that lower stress, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, Dattilo says it has the power to reduce both physical and emotional pain.

Brain health – Play improves memory and nurtures critical thinking.

Inspiration – Play fosters creativity by getting us out of our tired, routine headspace.

For ideas on spontaneous acts of play, I turn to my 6-year-old niece Mickey, who, in this video (below) has stopped showering for a moment to express herself artistically on the glass door. Children do this naturally, unexpectedly, and fearlessly. My resolution this year is to embrace my own 6-year-old self and start kicking some creative ass.

Just Take A Spin — Find Unexpected Art

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(Pic #1) Facing South, Westlake Village, Cali. (Photo by Josh Kaplan)

(Pic #2) Facing North, Westlake Village, Cali. (Photo by Josh Kaplan)

These two shots were taken from exactly the same spot: in the middle of a field in Westlake Village. Josh stopped to grab the image of the sprawling bougainvillea, and when doing an about face, discovered the wispy tendrils of the dry brush. Kind of a double gift: twice the art — with the effort of one.

So I’m making it a point to take my 180 and find the opposing view. A bonus for staying open to all angles. The life lesson metaphor is not lost on me.