1 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Hello everybody. I'm Jemma Spake and welcome back to the 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: Psychology of Your Twenties, the podcast where we talk through 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: the biggest changes, moments, and transitions of our twenties and 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: what they mean for our psychology. Hello everybody, Welcome back 5 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,159 Speaker 1: to the show. Welcome back to the podcast. It is 6 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: so great to have you here back for another episode 7 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: as we of course break down the psychology of our twenties. 8 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: If you could not tell from my little get up today, 9 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,840 Speaker 1: I have my Tiara on, I have my magic sparkling 10 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: wand we are talking about the psychology of whimsy and 11 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: why whimsy is so uniquely powerful. Side note, I'm also 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: recording this episode on Friday the thirteenth, and so I 13 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: feel like I need this kind of glittery, glowy princess 14 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: and do to like ward off the evil spirits. The 15 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: reason I really wanted to do this episode, and now 16 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: I'm debating whether I keep holding my one or whether 17 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: I throw it away. I'm going to keep it for 18 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: the intro and then I'm gonna toss it aside. But 19 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: the reason I wanted to do this episode is because 20 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: people often dismiss the silly little things we do to 21 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: keep our joy alive in life as immature. You know, 22 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: the trinkets that we collect, the games that we play, 23 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: the silly scenarios or like dress up situations that we 24 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: encourage me love to do. People label them as very 25 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: childlike and unintelligent, and yeah, they don't give them the 26 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: time of day that they deserve. What these people don't know, 27 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: and what you are about to is that having whimsy 28 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: in your life is likely going to make you smarter, 29 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: more emotionally intelligent, more mentally adjusted, more mentally flexible, and 30 00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: a whole lot happier. There is so much neuroscience behind 31 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: the power of play, the power of imagination, the power 32 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: of creativity, and silliness, and today I'm going to share 33 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: it with you guys, including everything from major peer reviewed 34 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: studies from the likes of Stanford and Harvard on the 35 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: power of whimsy, to listener stories about what we all do, 36 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: what I do, what you guys do to keep your 37 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: life light and fluffy in what are very hard times. 38 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: Side note, thank you to everyone who did send those in. 39 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: I genuinely got thousands of whimsical activity examples that I 40 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: had never thought of before. So stick around to the 41 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,639 Speaker 1: second half of the episode where we talk about those 42 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 1: But I'm so excited to get into this. I'm sure 43 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: we've all seen whimsy trending online recently and maybe went 44 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: quick to dismiss it, but this is the episode where 45 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: we really get into the scientific evidence for why it 46 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: is emotionally and ecologically protective. So without further ado, let's 47 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: get into it. Okay, now that we've done with the intro, 48 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna throw my wand aside, but I'm gonna keep 49 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: my For those watching on Netflix, I'm gonna keep my little, 50 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: my Little Tira on because I feel like it's appropriate. 51 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: But like I said before, whimsy, Whimsy is one of 52 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: those things that you know it when you see it, 53 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: but you especially know it when you feel it, because 54 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: it's just so light and playful, and there is a 55 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: part of you that really can tap into it and 56 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,119 Speaker 1: feels differently. The best description of whimsy that I've ever 57 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: seen came from a therapist in Colorado whose name I 58 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: am forgetting in this very moment, but what she basically 59 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: said was that whimsy is playfulness deliberately woven into the ordinary. 60 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: And I think that is the best description I could 61 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: come up with or she could come up with. It 62 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: is doing things just for the sake of doing them, 63 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: because they are strange, because they are humorous, because they 64 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: are fun and nostalgic. And a core part of this 65 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: is that they don't have to serve any other purpose, right, 66 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: they don't have to be productive. It is why we 67 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: like to blow bubbles as you walk down the street, 68 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 1: or collect trinkets. It's playing dress ups, it's dancing in 69 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: the woods. It's using the good candle that you normally save. 70 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: It's like baking a chocolate cake just because you felt 71 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: like it, just because it brings you joy. What's interesting 72 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: to me actually, as a little sidebar, is how feminized 73 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: whimsy really is. A lot of what we see as whimsical, 74 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: I've started to realize is just domestic tasks or domestic 75 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: activities like that are solely reserved for women now being 76 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: reclaimed as fun for women, like baking, frolicking, dressing up, collecting. 77 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: You know, another huge part of whimsy is it's very childlike, right, 78 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: It's very nostalgic, which we're going to get into a 79 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: lot more later on. But whimsy and the way that 80 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: it's now nowadays portrayed, it's not just reserved for one gender, 81 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: or indeed just for children, and I fear that some 82 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: of the framing that's taking place, especially online, might exclude 83 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,799 Speaker 1: a lot of people who could genuinely use its psychological benefits. 84 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: Whimsy can also be more traditionally masculine as well adventure 85 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: building something by hand that you could probably go out 86 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: and buy that would be better, and indeed also frolicking, 87 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: also cooking, also dancing and being present. Whimsy is for 88 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: everyone because it's truly about returning to this very core, gooey, 89 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: gentler part of yourself that has been not to sound severe, 90 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: but like kind of lost to the grief of growing 91 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 1: up and seeing how harsh the world can really be. 92 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: I think this is why we are seeing such a 93 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: reclamation or a resurgence of whimsy, especially in recent years, 94 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 1: almost as like a psychological and mental protest of the 95 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 1: equally pressing trends of like the five am morning routines 96 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: and productivity planners and hustling and ambition block days and 97 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: ten leads of water, ten thousand steps, ten squeezes of 98 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: a lemon at ten am, ten thousands of hours of 99 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: habits and discipline, like whimsy is the antithesis of all this, 100 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: and people are getting sick of feeling like their lives 101 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: need to be so structured and organized and perfect. And 102 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: it's kind of this completely contradictory attitude that says, let's 103 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: not look for ways to be more productive, let's actually 104 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: not look for purpose and everything we do, let's just 105 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: exist and appreciate how special and silly life really is 106 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: for no other reason other than that we can. Obviously, 107 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: people have then realized they can make a lot of 108 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: money off that feeling. They can make money off of 109 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:06,679 Speaker 1: any human feeling these days, and that has definitely branched 110 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: off into a few big trends that we've seen come 111 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: and go in the past few years that are a 112 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: direct response to our need for more whimsy, but it's 113 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: just been packaged by people who can make money off 114 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: of it. So like the biggest and most obvious one 115 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: was cottage call right, the idea of slow living and 116 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: collecting produced and dressing cute and in flowy skirts and 117 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: floral patterns and having the Gigham bed sheets. Then brands 118 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: like Sheene and Amazon marketed that for us and made 119 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: the cute strawberry dresses and made like the sticker books 120 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 1: and made like all that stuff. Another one was fairy core. 121 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: There was definitely this whole. I think it's kind of 122 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: still ongoing of people like playing dress ups, and I 123 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: guess I'm wearing a little crown right now, people wearing crowns, 124 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: and now I think the next iteration of that. And 125 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: don't hate me for saying this, but I think the 126 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: resurgence of analogue activities and arts and crafts and snail 127 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: mail and junk journaling that is the next whimsy trend. 128 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: That is the next way that we are trying to 129 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: adopt more whimsy into our lives. And I really hope 130 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: at lasts, like I so hope that this is the 131 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: trend to the whimsy trend that sticks and won't just 132 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: produce more landfill, because, like I said, whimsy and activities 133 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: like this, ones that serve no purpose other than joy, 134 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: are really important, especially in this day and age. Hence 135 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: why they're trending. You know, A core part of why 136 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:41,479 Speaker 1: whimsy is so great is that it's choosing to focus 137 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 1: on the good right, particularly what feels nice and light 138 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: and enjoyable for the mind and for the soul. There's 139 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: this core cognitive psychology principle that what you choose to 140 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: focus on expands and dominates your mindset, and what you 141 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: don't focus on, you know, hopefully doesn't have as much 142 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: of a say on your mindset and doesn't hurt you 143 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: as much. Right now, the world is a pretty despicable place, 144 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: and sometimes that's all we can focus on, and that's 145 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 1: the only thing we can pay attention to. And if 146 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: that is the only thing you can pay attention to, 147 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: you could very easily become convinced that this is the 148 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: one thing that the world is. The world is just terrible, 149 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: like in its singularity, the world is just cruel, The 150 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: world is just evil. Life is only about struggle, and 151 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: life is only hard because that's what's really being pushed 152 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: into our face. And also not push like just looking 153 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: around anywhere. It's you don't have to search for how 154 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,839 Speaker 1: terrible things are, and that like the deep psychological pessimism 155 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: that this creates can actually increase our sense of powerlessness 156 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: because everything we're facing feels totally immovable. No human mind, 157 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: no human soul, can survive in a mental environment where 158 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: they truly believe that the world is just truly evil 159 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: and incapable of change. So making whimsy a spiritual and 160 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: psychological practice for ourselves that breaks that pessimism loop, even 161 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: just occasionally. It diverts your attention to all the good 162 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: that still exists, and we really need that more than ever. 163 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: When we hear people say joy is resistance, right, this 164 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: is what I always think of whimsy joy. Those practices restock, 165 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: They restock, like your mental and emotional reserves, so that 166 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 1: you can go on, especially separately if you're in your twenties, 167 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: it can quickly feel like during this decade that life 168 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: is just an endless to do list and you're really 169 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: finally being exposed to like what true adulthood is like. 170 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: And more and more people expect things from you, more 171 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: and more tasks are required from you. There is no 172 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: answer for anything. Everything is confusing. You have no idea 173 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: what the next five years is going to be like. 174 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 1: There's this real whiplash into adulthood that can be really 175 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: hard and having whimsy in those moments as a lot 176 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: of us are choosing to do and choosing to pursue, 177 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: you know, something as simple as putting a ribbon on 178 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 1: your back or putting a cute figurine on your windowsill 179 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: for people to enjoy or like having a cupcake with lunch. 180 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: That's not silly, that's really helpful in times when the 181 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:29,959 Speaker 1: world just constantly feels like it needs something from us. 182 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: Part of this is also because whimsy allows you to 183 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: stop taking certain things too seriously. And know that now 184 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: I'm not referring to global and political things. I'm talking 185 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 1: about personal things. But when you have whimsy in your life, 186 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: the mistrain, the slow walker, like the rejection email from 187 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: that job you applied for, we don't overinvest in it 188 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: as much. And when our mind does overinvest in that 189 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: stuff because there's nothing else to break up, just our 190 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: sense of failure of frustration, we actually hinder our brain's 191 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: ability to rewire itself and we only focus on the 192 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: negative in the bad that stunts our cognitive ability for transformation. 193 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: Let's break into some neuroscience for a second to explain 194 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: why this is. Starting with the most basic first principles, 195 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: your brain is constantly changing and constantly building new connections 196 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: and different lobes and across different lobes and across different regions. 197 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: A lot of people think of this as like electoral wiring, 198 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: or like your neurological wiring is like a bunch of roads, 199 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: or train lines or like a map something like that, 200 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 1: and it's much more like a forest, right, It's much 201 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: more like a forest where seeds are planted, thousands of seeds, 202 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: thousands of thoughts a day, thousands of potential habits are planted, 203 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: and only a couple hundred of saplings and urge, and 204 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: then from those saplings, only a dozen or even less 205 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: than that, of those saplings turn into these big, strong 206 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: pillars of your identity, these big strong trees that make 207 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: up your personality and make up your behavior. And the 208 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: thing is, when you experience stress, when you see the 209 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 1: world as dangerous, when you're overwhelmed, that forest that your 210 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: brain wants to build and is constantly building day in 211 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 1: and day out, a lot of those new structures can 212 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 1: only get so big and tall. Your ability to develop 213 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,839 Speaker 1: new copy mechanisms, develop new behaviors, to change past behaviors. 214 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: That growth is stunted. Your brain's ability to form new 215 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: patterns is stunted because the external environment is hostile and 216 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,239 Speaker 1: it's scary, and so it becomes biologically harder to focus 217 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: and form new patterns. This is simply because being in 218 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: a state of stress or a state of real psychological 219 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: negativity hijacks all of your resources whilst also suppressing dendric 220 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 1: branching and neurogenesis, especially in this region called the hippocampus, 221 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: that is the part that's basically called the learning center 222 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:13,559 Speaker 1: of the brain. Constant negativity and stress. It's not always 223 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: our choice, but when you can shift your brain to 224 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: being playful in those environments and during these years of 225 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: your life when things are just really intense, it's so 226 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: helpful because you show your brain it's safe enough to 227 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: prioritize more than just its stress response, and it's safe 228 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: enough to prioritize things that aren't just negative. There's this 229 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: incredible research paper that was published last year titled Playful Brains, 230 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: which is such a cute name, and it essentially says, 231 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:51,239 Speaker 1: whimsy and play keep your brain young because these activities 232 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 1: require continuous adaptation and exploration. Whimsy, like how I like 233 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: to see it in this kind of framework, is like 234 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: the rays of sunshine, and that like pour down on 235 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: your neural forest and make it flourish. It is literally 236 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: fertilizing the soil in which your brain can grow new connections. 237 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: It's also a somatic strategy, right, We're boosting oxytocin where 238 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: it decreases cortisol. It's allowing your body and mind to 239 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: shift from alert to safe and imaginative and imagination. Imagination 240 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: is another big concept that makes whimsy so special and 241 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: psychologically powerful. I feel like so many of these words 242 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: that we're using today are like so synonymous with childhood, right, imagination, play, joy, 243 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: And that's not an accident. When is your brain forming 244 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: the most connections during childhood? When were you likely the 245 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: most optimistic you've ever been in your life during childhood? 246 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: When did you have the biggest dreams during child childhood? 247 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: A lot of this is because we had permission to 248 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: have fun, and having fun is a big part of 249 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: how we learned to emotionally regulate and how we learned 250 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: to just learn and test our surroundings, as much as 251 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: that gets stripped from us in adulthood. Remember a few 252 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: years ago, I don't know if I'm sure we all 253 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: remember this. Actually, inner child healing was like huge, and 254 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: like the Internet was obsessed with it, and people would 255 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: have a childhood picture of themselves up on the mirror 256 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: and they would buy themselves like the toys, like the 257 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: Littlest Pet shops, so like the beanie babies from childhood, 258 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: and they would rewatch movies from when they were a kid, 259 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: and there was such a resurgence of like Hannah Montana 260 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: and like people wanting those remakes. I think that's still 261 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: kind of ongoing now because it is so fantastic. But 262 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: this is exactly what This is the practice that we're 263 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: getting at, right, this is the fundamental stuff that we're 264 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: getting back. We're getting at Childhood was the last time 265 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: many of us felt like ourselves and felt good about 266 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: the world. Getting back to that and also mending the 267 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,199 Speaker 1: scars that were left on that version of us that 268 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,239 Speaker 1: still show up today. That is what prompts a lot 269 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: of healing, and whimsy is a direct path to doing that. 270 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,200 Speaker 1: There's another thing I said before that I just want 271 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: to quickly circle back on before I move on. Play 272 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: as a form of emotional regulation. Literally, this may sound 273 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: so weird, but whimsy is a form of emotional regulation. 274 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: When you do arts and crafts, when you collect your 275 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: little trinkets, you are essentially signaling to your brain, well, 276 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: if I'm having fun, like, it can't be that serious, right, 277 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: Like Genuinely, they've done studies on this in Germany, in 278 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: Malaysia in the US, and play is essentially a signal 279 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: to your nervous system that we are safe, and so 280 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: it allows you to go from survival to engagement. So 281 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: it's so important, like, don't let people make fun of 282 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: you for this stuff. It is psycho logically powerful for 283 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: your nervous system and for your brain and every other 284 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: system going on in your body. A couple of years ago, 285 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 1: I got really into these adult coloring books. I feel 286 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: like I talked about it on the show a bunch, 287 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 1: but thirty minutes of that and I did more for 288 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: me and my stress and my nervous system than I 289 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: think most actual nervous system exercises that were given to 290 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,239 Speaker 1: me by a therapist. Now that's not for everyone, but 291 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: it worked for me. I really did reach like a 292 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: flow state with this stuff, and I experienced this level 293 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 1: of peace that I never had before all because I 294 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: had these like pink and yellow and green markers, and 295 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: I was able to switch my brain from hypervigilance to 296 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 1: creative engagement, and that was what really made me feel better. 297 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:54,199 Speaker 1: A lot of people experienced something similar, I think with 298 00:18:54,240 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: like knitting painting, because that again that creative activation. Sorry 299 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: to like beat a horse dead, but like that creative 300 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: activation unconsciously says to your brain, hey, you're okay, Like 301 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 1: why else would we would be making art if we 302 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,199 Speaker 1: weren't okay. On top of this, some researchers even suggested 303 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: that adult playfulness will make you more intelligent. People who 304 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: are more playful in adulthood are smarter. A twenty twenty 305 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: one study published in the US actually looked at over 306 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:32,360 Speaker 1: three hundred students and it measured both their emotional intelligence 307 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: and how playful they were. And what the study revealed, 308 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: unsurprisingly in their words, was that there was this strong 309 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: positive connection between intelligence and the more playful you were, 310 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 1: or how fun and seeking you were. So this is 311 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: what we're seeing so far, right, This is the point 312 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: we keep kind of coming back to. Whimsy isn't just silly. 313 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 1: It is psychologically protective during hard time. It helps your 314 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: brain stay in an active state of rewiring. It helps 315 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,360 Speaker 1: you to regulate your emotions better than I think most 316 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 1: strategies we have as adults, and it may make you 317 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: more intelligent. There's just like so many wins to this 318 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: that we just cannot discount. And there is one final 319 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: reason it's so powerful that I want to talk about 320 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: as well. Before we get into how to make whimsy 321 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,719 Speaker 1: a habit. We're going to talk about that last significant 322 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 1: reason after this short break, so stay with us. The 323 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: final reason I think that whimsy has some deep emotional 324 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: power over us is because of how our brain responds 325 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: to beauty, and so much of whimsy is, at the 326 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: end of the day about creating beauty and like the 327 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: most mundane stuff, making art, making things pretty for no reason, 328 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,120 Speaker 1: buying flowers just because you want to, like bringing in 329 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: color and all those kinds of stuff. It's just trying 330 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 1: to make the world more beautiful and lovely. I read 331 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: this phenomenal substact the other day by this writer who 332 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 1: goes by plum Pits, and it just stopped me in 333 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 1: my tracks because she was talking about this, and she 334 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 1: was talking about this distinct field of research called neuro esthetics, 335 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 1: which essentially explains what we're talking about right, how the 336 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: brain reacts to beauty and how powerful that is. In 337 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 1: the late twentieth century, there was this one man in particular, 338 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 1: this Turkish neurobiologist who is still alive today, and he 339 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: became really fascinated with this. He was like, why do 340 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 1: our brains, or how do our brains respond to beauty 341 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:52,439 Speaker 1: in such a different way to how they respond to 342 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,120 Speaker 1: the rest of the world. And he started doing these 343 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,880 Speaker 1: very simple experiments to try and kind of figure out 344 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: what was happening behind the scenes. These experiments were just 345 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 1: so basic and so profound. He would essentially just show 346 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: people different kinds of art and music, and he would 347 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: just look using fMRIs and egs, he would just see 348 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: how their brains responded, what parts of their brains were 349 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: lighting up, what parts of their brains weren't. He found 350 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: that our response to beauty isn't sectioned, it's not singular. 351 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:28,200 Speaker 1: It activates almost every single region of the brain all 352 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:32,160 Speaker 1: at once. So, yes, your sensory cortext is are obviously 353 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: going to be involved. The parts of your brain that 354 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: are responsible for seeing and hearing and feeling and going 355 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 1: to be involved. But then it was also the medial 356 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:43,479 Speaker 1: or biofrontal cortext which is involved in evaluating meaning and 357 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: also chasing what feels good. That part of our brain 358 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: was like on fire, and also the emotional parts of 359 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 1: our brain, the emotional cause of our brain, which also 360 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 1: influenced our nervous system response. Showed a big reaction when 361 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 1: we saw beauty, when we saw art, emotional activation that 362 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: beauty brings. That. That is why we feel emotional when 363 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: we hear like wonderful music. That is why we like 364 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: sometimes cry when we see art, or like feel intense 365 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: happiness but also sadness when we see like a thousand 366 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: year old church, or we see the sun hitting the 367 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 1: tulips that we got for five ninety nine on the 368 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: way home from work. Beauty elicits or it elicits wonder, 369 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: It elicits gratitude. It will just make you cry from 370 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:43,399 Speaker 1: happiness and cry from just wonder, and that obviously has 371 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: a neurobiological impact. There was one University of Michigan study 372 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: that found that our appreciation for beauty in this way 373 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 1: and our every day I don't know, our everyday preference 374 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: for what looks lovely and pretty, when we experience more 375 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: of that, that decreases inflammation. It reduces risk of depression, 376 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: risk of diabetes, risk of cardiovascular disease. When people say, 377 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 1: you know, art isn't important, or nature isn't important, or 378 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: whatever other crap, people say, like I don't want to 379 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: hear it, because this is what the science says. This 380 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,439 Speaker 1: is what you need to remind them of practices and 381 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: activities that bring the beauty of life to the surface 382 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 1: and make things look pretty and esthetic and lovely and 383 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 1: which feel good to look at. That's life changing, that's 384 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: not like a benign thing, that is truly powerful and 385 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: dare I say, I honestly think that whimsy and beauty 386 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: are as spiritual in some ways as prayer or traditions 387 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: or celebrations or repenting or sacrifice your body for whatever 388 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: mysterious and wonderful reason wants you to experience more of 389 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: this and it wants you to like it's just such 390 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: positive signs that the this is an experience we should 391 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: be chasing. And also, just to add to that, I 392 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:07,479 Speaker 1: think this is something about whims that we really need 393 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,919 Speaker 1: to concentrate on more so often if we want it 394 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: to be like a lot of these examples are free 395 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 1: or very affordable, and these days, so much of what 396 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 1: is meant to help us out mentally is very expensive. 397 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: Therapy is very expensive. I genuinely I think I pay 398 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: my therapist two hundred pounds a session. That is an 399 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: insane amount. Self care practices are very expensive, especially in 400 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: the way that they're marketed to us these days, and whimsy, 401 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 1: on the other hand, is a very affordable practice. And yes, 402 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 1: it's currently being commercialized, and it's being turned into products 403 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 1: and into an esthetic that you can buy. But being 404 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,879 Speaker 1: a little bit silly leaving like a secret note in 405 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 1: a library book, painting rocks and leaving them for others 406 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: to find random acts of kindness that costs you nothing, 407 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 1: if not very very little. So if you want to 408 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 1: fully capture the power of all this whimsical, magical, wonderful thinking, 409 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 1: let's talk about a some fun examples of activities that 410 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: you can do, and b how to turn whimsy from 411 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: something that you do occasionally into an actual habit. I 412 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: had my own list of like activities, whimsical activities ready 413 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:31,400 Speaker 1: to go, and then I thought, actually, I'm gonna ask 414 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: you guys, hence why I have my phone. Let me 415 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: make sure that's on silence since I'm in the studio. 416 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 1: I always forget to do that. But when you guys 417 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: sent me your responses, I just I scrapped my list 418 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: and I decided just to go with what you guys 419 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: were saying, because you guys gave me such creative, amazing 420 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: ideas that you guys do, and I'm just not surprised 421 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: because we have some very creative people who listen. But 422 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: I want to read out some of these two for 423 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: inspiration if you're thinking about whimsy and like come kind 424 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:06,440 Speaker 1: of coming up blank. Okay, if you're ready, here we go. 425 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 1: This first one comes from Genie, and this was one 426 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: of my favorites. She says, I say hi and by 427 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:16,679 Speaker 1: to my car whenever I drive him. Firstly, love that 428 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: she said him, like she's personalized, like personified him. That 429 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 1: is so cute. There were surprisingly so many that were 430 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 1: car related. People who would like thank their car, people 431 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: who would like decorate their cars, very car focused whimsical 432 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 1: activities on this list. This next one, I say thank 433 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,719 Speaker 1: you to my candles before I blow them out. I 434 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: say a spell and I wish myself a good day. 435 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: When I apply perfume in the morning, when I have 436 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: to do my skin care, I apply my moisturizer or 437 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 1: my sun's screen in a heart on my face. That 438 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 1: is so cute. I'm going to steal that one. I 439 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: unbag my groceries like I'm filming a hall for my boyfriend, 440 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: even though we just bought them all together. Cute. I 441 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: have a monthly newsletter with my best friend called the 442 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 1: Whimsy Sisters. That one's from Maya, Maya, that is a 443 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: great idea. Honestly, If any of my friends are listening 444 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,920 Speaker 1: to this, Emma, Kate, Sarah, I'm thinking about you, guys. 445 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: I feel like this is a great idea. A whimsy 446 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: newsletter or a monthly news newsletter. Sorry, Maya, We're going 447 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 1: to steal your whimsy sister's name for like your long 448 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 1: distance friends would be just such a great way of 449 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:31,199 Speaker 1: staying in touch. This next one, as well, I just 450 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: thought was so genius. Is genius the right word? I 451 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: think genius is the right word. I put fun sprinkles 452 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: in my oatmeal and yogurt bowls to add a bit 453 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: of whimsy to my morning. How have I never thought 454 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: about that? Like, that's such a great idea. I leave 455 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: notes on napkins at restaurants and cafes when the service 456 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: was really good. I talk to my plants and I 457 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: tell them that I love them. When I water them, 458 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: that is so special. I drink any drink I want 459 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: in a wineglass, milk, diet coke, water or whatever because 460 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: I can. I have a weekly fairy walk. I go 461 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: on where I pretend I'm a fairy observing the world 462 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: for the first time, I twirl in circles, I spread 463 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 1: some magic, and I pretend that I'm leaving a glitter 464 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: trail wherever I go. This actually brings me to the 465 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: story of why I have this one, because I did 466 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: something similar the other day with my friend Jack And 467 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,640 Speaker 1: if you follow me on Instagram, maybe you saw this real. 468 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 1: But both of us have been definitely feeling like the sad, 469 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: the seasonal effective disorder of the London winter, of the 470 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: UK winter, especially coming from Australia, Like I just don't 471 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,720 Speaker 1: think my body is built for this. But we went 472 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: on this walk in Hampstead Heath and we were as 473 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: we were walking down from the train station, there's this 474 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 1: magic shop and we, I don't know why, we walked in. 475 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: It's like a puppet, a puppet and a magic shop. 476 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,239 Speaker 1: We walked in and they were selling these ones that 477 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: one over there for like five ninety nine or something, 478 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: not that expensive, and we just kind of looked at 479 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: each other and we were like, we should just buy 480 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: one of these, and we should go for a little walk, 481 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: and we should spread some magic and we should I 482 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,479 Speaker 1: don't know we just were like running around the park, honestly, 483 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 1: slipping in a lot of the mud and just like 484 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: spreading magic and anytime. Like it was quite funny, Like 485 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: obviously we were like making little noises and like waving 486 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: this big magic stick around and there's like a bunch 487 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: of dogs there, and all the dogs were kind of 488 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: going like a little bit crazy for it. I think 489 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: they probably didn't realize they just thought we were weird, 490 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: which makes sense, right, or they thought we were like 491 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: trying to play like fetch with them. And it was 492 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: just the most magical day I've had in a while. 493 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: I genuinely felt like I was glowing for the rest 494 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: of the afternoon, like vibrationally, emotionally. It was like I 495 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: had done some like energetic cleanse or like some mental detox. 496 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 1: I just felt phenomenal. And part of that is what's 497 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: inspired this episode, right, thinking about why I felt that 498 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 1: great and why there must be some kind of science 499 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: to the transformation. It kind of gave me, even just 500 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: for a day. And that's the other thing with whimsy, right, 501 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: you can either ritualize it or you can just use 502 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: it as like a spontaneous mood pick me up. There 503 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: is definitely evidence though as much as like those one 504 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: off things are amazing, the more you ritualize your whimsy, 505 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 1: the better, as long as it's not like two burdensome. 506 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:31,800 Speaker 1: I know this may sound very like contra to what 507 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 1: we've been discussing this whole time. You know, whimsy is 508 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: meant to be spontaneous and sporadic and playful. That's like 509 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 1: the whole nature of this. But what I mean by 510 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: ritualizing whimsy is that making it a daily or a 511 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 1: weekly priority rather than something you just do when like 512 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 1: you just feel really crap, is going to bring about 513 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 1: a lot more of those mental and emotional results time 514 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: you're whimsy, especially to something you do every day like 515 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: that perfume example, or the moisturizer example or the glass example. 516 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 1: That increases how easily you're going to be able to 517 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: see whimsy and happiness and joy everywhere else. And I 518 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: think it will also increase like the long term positive 519 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,000 Speaker 1: dose that your brain and your body will get from, 520 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: you know, the psychological power of whimsy. Making it a 521 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: daily practice, the way that you make exercise a daily practice, 522 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 1: or you make hygiene or sleep a daily practice, is 523 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: something we could definitely all benefit from especially in this 524 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 1: day and age. I would also say remind yourself that 525 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: most whimsy should cost you nothing. That's what I really 526 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 1: liked about a lot of those examples people sent in. 527 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 1: I kind of keep returning to this. But you don't 528 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: need the two hundred dollars art kit, and you don't 529 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: need to host like an expensive themed dress up night 530 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: or whatever else to feel the positive effects. There is 531 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 1: no hierarchy, there is no kind of the more money 532 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 1: you spend on whimsy, the better. In fact, a lot 533 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: of research says that the most organic and rudimentary forms 534 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 1: of play, the better the joy is, the deeper the 535 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 1: joy is because it actually allows for more gratitude towards 536 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 1: the ordinary, rather than needing to do something extraordinary to 537 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 1: feel good. Basically, when you try to force whimsy, when 538 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 1: you try to buy whimsy, you actually lose a fundamental 539 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: part of it, which is that it is about the mundane. 540 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:44,400 Speaker 1: It is about recognizing what is simply around you and 541 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: making that special. The big events, the big shows, the 542 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 1: parties like that's actually, that's great, and that's a lot 543 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,000 Speaker 1: of fun. But it's not what whimsy is about, and 544 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: it does not make whimsy sustainable. Also, whilst I matter. 545 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 1: Another thing you can do to definitely like elevate your 546 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:08,760 Speaker 1: whimsy is, yeah, make it affordable and involve other people. 547 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 1: This taps into something we know in developmental psychology as 548 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:16,399 Speaker 1: parallel play. When two people often in this case children, 549 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 1: engage in playful activities side by side, it is really 550 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 1: really powerful and really really healing. Going further and then 551 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: involving somebody, not just doing it next to each other, 552 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:31,879 Speaker 1: but involving somebody in your stories and in your imagination. 553 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,720 Speaker 1: You know, both of you trying not to step on 554 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:39,759 Speaker 1: the cracks, both of you waving your ones around, both 555 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 1: of you looking for the four leaf clover like whatever 556 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: it is, whether it's your boyfriend, it's your friend, it's 557 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 1: your siblings. That can literally be a form of coregulation. 558 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:51,320 Speaker 1: You know, we mentioned self regulation a lot at the beginning, 559 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 1: and how whimsy is an emotional regulator. But when you 560 00:34:54,719 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: are with another person and you're feeling calm, you're feeling magical, 561 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 1: you're feeling creative and playful. That internal mindset, that internal 562 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,439 Speaker 1: feeling that's contagious. If you've ever heard of the term 563 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:12,800 Speaker 1: mirror neurons, which I'm sure you have at this point, 564 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:16,080 Speaker 1: especially if you're a psychology student, mirror neurons, This is 565 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:19,920 Speaker 1: exactly what is at play here. Mirror neurons are essentially 566 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:26,200 Speaker 1: the mind's social mirror, and specifically, to kind of explain 567 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:30,400 Speaker 1: it more, it's why when you see someone else doing something, 568 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 1: or you see somebody else performing a behavior, or you 569 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: see somebody else singing or whatever, it is, a part 570 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: of you automatically responds to them and wants to copy 571 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:41,920 Speaker 1: what that person is doing and wants to copy their 572 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 1: behavior and get involved. I don't know, guys, I just 573 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 1: whimsy because of that and how it activates mirror neurons 574 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 1: and how it's contagious. I think that's why it's so 575 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:55,400 Speaker 1: life changing and why it could really change the world 576 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: and make us all, hopefully a happier species if we 577 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 1: just like invited more people in because it's so organic 578 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 1: and it's so like in our DNA to find purpose 579 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: just in simple beauty and in the ordinary. And I 580 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:11,719 Speaker 1: feel like a lot of technology and a lot of 581 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:13,640 Speaker 1: rapid advancements and a lot of what's going on in 582 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 1: the world right now is made that feel very inaccessible. 583 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: Before we leave this topic behind, before we close out 584 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: our episode on the psychology of whimsy. One quick caveat 585 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:34,080 Speaker 1: whimsy is very special, It is very beautiful. It is 586 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: not the solution to all of our problems. I know 587 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:39,080 Speaker 1: somebody is gonna come to me. Somebody's gonna come at 588 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 1: me in the comments in my DMS and be like, 589 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,799 Speaker 1: you still need therapy, and you like, we still need 590 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:47,919 Speaker 1: stronger social supports, and you still need good mental health 591 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:51,920 Speaker 1: habits like whimsy is not that important. Let's make that 592 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 1: very clear. Yes, you cannot just play mermaids in the 593 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 1: pool and think that that is your dose of good 594 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 1: psychological vibes for the month. I feel like a lot 595 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: of you already know this without me, but I just 596 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 1: it goes without saying or I feel like I have 597 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:09,200 Speaker 1: to say it. Whimsy cannot be everything, especially right now. 598 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:10,839 Speaker 1: You know, I see a lot of people being like 599 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,840 Speaker 1: joy is resistance, joy is protective, joy is power, and 600 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:17,160 Speaker 1: it is all of those things. But don't let it 601 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 1: become an avoidance technique. I think. I guess what I'm 602 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 1: saying is, don't let your whimsy turn into just another 603 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 1: reason to spend money, or pure hedonism where you only 604 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:37,280 Speaker 1: prioritize pleasure, you only prioritize you feeling good without thinking 605 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:41,080 Speaker 1: about your community. You're thinking about those around you. Just 606 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,480 Speaker 1: like keep it in the balance. And I don't want 607 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 1: to end on like kind of a more, I don't 608 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 1: want to end on like a realistic, like kind of 609 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 1: down up tone. But I just think it's important. I 610 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:58,400 Speaker 1: just think it's Whimsy is so fantastic. It cannot be everything. 611 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,400 Speaker 1: It is like any other cycle called tool great and 612 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:05,719 Speaker 1: small doses. Let's wrap up the episode, shall we. I 613 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 1: feel like that's everything I have to talk about. I'm 614 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:10,680 Speaker 1: sure there's more that I've forgotten about, but you know what, 615 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 1: before we leave, I want to continue that list. If 616 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:20,400 Speaker 1: you are listening on Spotify, what is your whimsical practice 617 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 1: that we did not include in this episode. What is 618 00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:28,040 Speaker 1: something that you do to keep the sparkle alive, to 619 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: keep that like childlike goodness alive. I really want to 620 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:33,399 Speaker 1: hear from you, guys. I really want to make this. 621 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:36,880 Speaker 1: Maybe I'll make like a big collaborative list or like 622 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:40,400 Speaker 1: whimsy bucket list for all of us to I don't know, 623 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,640 Speaker 1: for all of us to like to start ticking things 624 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:46,799 Speaker 1: off and to kind of share in. So thank you 625 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 1: for listening to this episode, thank you for tuning in. 626 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: I hope you found it joyful. I hope you got 627 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:56,280 Speaker 1: some inspiration from it. I hope you liked my Tiara, 628 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,719 Speaker 1: Especially if you're watching on Netflix, make sure that you 629 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:04,800 Speaker 1: are following us on Instagram at that psychology podcast, following 630 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:09,360 Speaker 1: us on substack. If you want to read the transcript 631 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 1: and all the papers that we referenced in this episode, 632 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:16,200 Speaker 1: that is where you can find them. But until next time, 633 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: be safe, be kind, be gentle to yourself, enjoy some 634 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 1: whimsy today, and we will talk very very soon