#111 Zesty Aging: How to Unlock The Power of Play with Dr Elaine O’ Brien

Elaine O’Brien, Ph.D., MAPP, is a Certified Health Coach and a member of The Wellness Registry who helps people live their best lives filled with physical health, mental clarity, and purpose. Elaine’s work has inspired tens of thousands of people and organizations to move towards greater fitness, resilience, and well-being. Elaine has also helped many manage stress and post-traumatic growth and is best known for her pioneering work in human movement science and the science of happiness. She is one of the first individuals in the world to earn a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in the Psychology of Human Movement in 2015 and also studied Positive Psychology Across Cultures at the University of Oslo. Elaine is also a member of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) Leader Team and an accomplished author, speaker, presenter, and well-being strategist.

Today, Elaine joins me to discuss her research on zesty aging and how to approach life with vitality and be more open to new experiences. She shares some of the wisdom she has learned from writing her book The Power of Play: Optimizing Your Joy Potential, including how to increase the joy in your life by tapping into your inner child. We discuss why adults neglect play and what you miss out on when you don’t prioritize it. Elaine also explains the PERMA model, what she learned from her mentor, Dr. Marty Seligman, and some simple strategies you can use to find opportunities for play in your life.

 “Play keeps us fresh, it helps our mental health, our physical health, spiritual health. It helps us to grow as people with new experiences. It opens this up to the possibility of more socialization. It helps us feel more confident.” – Dr. Elaine O’Brien

This week on In the Doctor’s Chair:

  • What is zesty aging
  • How the Power of Play can optimize joy in your life
  • Why adults don’t prioritize play
  • The benefits of play for mental, physical, and spiritual health
  • Dr. Marty Zeligman’s PERMA model
  • The benefits of play in your day-to-day life
  • How to increase joy and well-being through play
  • How to turn the mundane into the magnificent
  • How to build a “play toolkit”
  • How to use play to optimize your potential

 

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Dr. Elaine O’Brien:

 

 

In the Doctor’s Chair

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