In this episode of The Things We Know, Kari Morin and Lisa Callahan make the case that fun isn't something you earn after you've crossed everything off the list — it's a genuine biological need, and the science backs them up. Drawing on the research of Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, and author Cyndie Spiegel's concept of microjoys, Kari and Lisa explore what actually happens to women who lose their relationship with play, why high-achieving women are especially vulnerable to fun deprivation, and how to find your way back even when the muscle feels completely gone.

They explore:

• What play deprivation actually looks like — and why it's not a character flaw

• The science that makes joy a requirement, not a luxury

• Why microjoys are always available even when life is heavy

• How to reclaim fun when you can't remember what you'd even enjoy anymore

If you've been serious and responsible and available to everyone around you for a very long time — this is your permission slip.

And since Kari and Lisa talk about how joy is better shared, join them at the Best Chapter Yet Fall Retreat, September 18–20 in Portland, Oregon — two and a half days to exhale and remember what it feels like to be in your own life lightly. Spots are filling — grab yours here.

Find Kari and Lisa:

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