How much time do you and your partner actually spend doing things just for fun? Although your pandemic and post-pandemic life can seem to squeeze the silliness out of your relationship, do you still find ways to share moments of laughter?
The quality of playfulness is relatively understudied in psychology as an attribute of adult personality or relationships. Yet, the well-known psychologist Erik Erikson gave initiative, or the ability to engage in imaginative play, a central place in his lifespan model of personality.
Emerging in the preschool years, the initiative allows the child to explore new activities just for fun. As the individual develops, imagination retains its role in personality, theoretically allowing adults to take a creative approach to life.
Being playful allows you to bring joy, laughter, and positive emotions into your interactions with other people, building social solidarity. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you tease your partner mercilessly, but that you can explore the more frivolous side of life with your partner, allowing you to ease tension for at least the short term so that you will be better able to tackle those daily stresses.
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