There was a time Kara woke up every morning in a panic, overwhelmed with feeling lost and going through her “dark night of the soul.” A friend suggested she remember what she loved to do as a kid. How did she play? This led her to thinking about why she didn’t enjoy having fun, feel joy and wonder, as she did when she was young. Intent on distracting herself from downward-spiraling thoughts, she intently started to research play. She started the PlayGrounding Podcast to share this knowledge.

As life (or the Universe, or magical coincidence) would have it, Kara and I met during a Burning Man Leader Conference. We immediately knew that our visions meshed, but didn’t know then how we would combine them. Have you ever met someone and instantly recognized a kinship? Kara has taken my courses, and uses the free ebook “Finding Fun: the Play Book to move from ‘Woe is Me’ to ‘WOW is Me’ – in 10 Liberating Steps” (which you can get when you sign up through the pop-up on this site…if not, hit reply on any email I send you and ask for it – I’m happy to send it!) Kara has also interviewed me on her podcast in the past (Everyday Adventures: Learning to Love the Unknown).

This summer, Kara is incorporating our recorded discussions from each section of the Finding Fun Play Book into her podcasts. She finds interesting “play” experts to interview, and adds tidbits from our conversations. I strongly believe play is a key element in developing a sense of adventure. Check out her podcasts and be inspired to play more!

The Courage to Embrace Adventure

From Playgrounding’s show notes:

It’s said that courage isn’t the absence of fear. Courage requires fear. So if that’s the case, we’re entering a time in history with massive potential for courage – because everyone is afraid.

On this episode of the PlayGrounding Podcast, you’ll hear one of a series of interviews with Stacey Newman Weldon, Founder of Adventure Wednesdays. Each of the ten “mini-interviews” you’ll hear woven into upcoming PlayGrounding episodes are reflections on her free ebook, Finding Fun, with ten steps to help you discover your “adventure mindset.” Step one is “Embrace Courage.”  

We often think of courage as taking on big, often overwhelming endeavors. Stacey teaches that it’s usually through baby steps that our courage can blossom and expand. The road to jumping out of a plane can start with taking a different way home from work. You never know what you’re capable of until you try!

Game On …Line!

In this episode of Playgrounding, Kara interviews Mary Catanzaro, Founder of POGO Events in New York City. She left her career in the corporate world to bring people together for scavenger hunts and game nights throughout the city. But now, instead of in-person events, she’s taken the fun online.

ABC – Always Be Curious

After Mary’s interview, I share about tip #2 for how to develop your adventure mindset – ABC, Always Be Curious! 

“Ask yourself, is this something you really enjoy, or are you doing it because someone else likes it?”

-Stacey Newman Weldon
Founder of Adventure Wednesdays

Who Gives You Permission to Play?

Kara interviews Andrew Walsh, a National Teaching Fellow in the UK. They discuss how adults can cross over from embarrassment about play, to being able to playing with childlike abandon.

Start Small & “I Wonder”

For this episode Kara writes that my “work is also dedicated to teaching adults to discover their playful, adventure mindset.” She includes two topics from the ebook covering advice to “Start Small” and then my favorite game for learning intuition and being present called “I Wonder.”

What’s Next For Playgrounding Podcast?

Kara has featured four of my ten tips so far. She finds very interesting, playful, and play filled, people to interview. She manages to find ways to tie in one of my ten principles – reinforcing the concept that Adventure + Play = life is fun! We both hope that you, too, find more ways to incorporate play into your every day!