3 Playful March Activities
Where you can try everything, all at once!
The weather is turning (for the better or worse depending on where you are) and it’s Academy Award Season. I can’t help but squeal at the glitz and the glamour and every year I snuggle down to laugh, cry or watch a punch up!
This years winners were well deserving. Everything, Everywhere All At Once was a mind-blowing tale of excitement and quirkiness and I cannot help but think about the fun that was had in the writing room!
So this month.. the three playful activities are in homage to ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and the friggin boss women that are Michelle Yeo and Jamie Lee Curtis
Activity 1 -- Ode to the Googly Eye!
I’ve always had a fascination for googly eyes. Turns out we all have. Adding googly eyes to an inanimate object sets off our face-detection mechanism and helps us relate to the object. It also encourages us to be pro-social. This is such a popular thing to do there is even a name for it… ‘eyebombing’ and an Google Eye Foundation has been set up around the world so eyebomb artists can improve our day by creating inanimate joy!
SO – buy yourself some googly eyes!
See how many random things you can make characters out of, and what type of characters do they become. Do you suddenly smile at your laptop because it’s looking at you with two warm peepers? Do you have less aggression towards your vacuum because it looks lonely and gazing? Have some fun. (and please… send me any pictures!)
Activity 2 – The multi-universe
Without giving too much away, there is an incredible scene where we see the character Evelyn goes through multiple looks and lives (I think that might be the best way to describe it). It got me thinking ‘when was the last time you tried a different look?’
Many moons ago I did a diploma in filmic and theatrical make up. Part of the course was to do the style of make up on a class mate and then have it done to you.
Most people removed the make up before heading home, but I often liked to leave it on to get a sense of how people would respond to me with the different looks.
Remarkably, I found the reactions to me very, very different. The newsagent who couldn’t be nicer to me in the morning suddenly couldn’t muster more than a grunt when I arrived with a full stubbled beard and my friendly corner store lady did nothing more than chase me around when I was doused in full gothic make up. Conversly, people couldn’t wait to give over their bus seat when my face was all bruised and battered.
EXCERSIZE
1. Go to your wardrobe (or a 2nd hand store) and wear a concoction that is TOTALLY not you. Take on a totally different look.
2. Take yourself out into the world. Catch up with a friend. Go for coffee. Anything.
3. Reflect on how it felt. Did you feel different? Did you act differently? Did the people around you act differently?
This is a fun little thing to try to mix things up and connect with the way you place yourself into the world.
Activity 3 – The Big Support
Who can forget the response that Jamie Lee Curtis has had for her co-star. The huge response to Michelle winning awards has truly showed that having mates that back you is amazing!
So why not do that with your colleagues.
But here’s the fun bit.
At your next meeting (either online or in person) think of something super tiny that you have achieved that day. The tinier the better. “I put on my uggboots” “I washed my armpits” “I wrote an email”
The rest of the team celebrates in massive, over-the-top amounts. Cheering and whooping.
That’s it.
Try it. It’s amazingly fun.
