Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) August/September 2015 Unleashing Your Magnificence | Page 68

9 TAKE A BREAK! Life-Enhancing Benefits of Leisure BY KAILEAN WELSH “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” –George Bernard Shaw L ife is busy. Work obligations, family needs, community activities, household chores–there is no shortage of things to do. With so many demands on our time, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of guilt when we take a break or do something just for fun. We have become a society of “doers.” The message of the work ethic is deeply ingrained in American culture and our sense of right and wrong. We find a sense of personal value in accomplishment, and can often cite a long list of things we’ve gotten done. When someone asks what we’ve been up to, that