The Opportunity to Play: Why Reclaiming Joy Is the Boldest Move a Leader Can Make

How often do you make space for joy—without needing to earn it first?

In the world of high-achieving leadership, play often gets pushed to the margins. It's seen as a break, a reward, or something reserved for "after the work is done." But what if joy isn’t the afterthought? What if it’s the secret access point to your most powerful leadership?

In a culture that glorifies burnout and celebrates overachievement, choosing play can feel radical. But this shift isn’t soft—it’s strategic.

When we soften into joy, we don’t lose our edge. We reclaim it—with presence.

Play Isn’t a Break from Leadership—It’s a Portal into It

We’re conditioned to associate leadership with contraction: tight timelines, tight schedules, tight shoulders. But the most impactful leaders don’t lead from tension. They lead from connection. And play is one of the fastest ways to return to connection—

With ourselves.

With others.

With our bodies.

With the present moment.

Play regulates the nervous system.

It opens creative pathways.

It fuels emotional resilience.

This isn’t fluff. It’s neurobiology. When we engage in play—through movement, art, laughter, music, or nature—we lower cortisol levels, increase dopamine, and expand our capacity for innovation. Simply put: joy makes the work sustainable.

The Science of Joy Is Strategic, Not Silly

From a performance standpoint, joy supports:

• Emotional agility in high-stress situations

• Creative thinking in moments of constraint

• Relational intelligence in leadership conversations

• Long-term capacity to hold space for others

You don’t have to step away from your role to access this. You have to step deeper into your wholeness.

What Play Looks Like in My Leadership Practice

Play in my leadership doesn't mean disengagement—it means embodied presence.

It looks like:

• A tray of kinetic sand in my coaching space, inviting tactile mindfulness.

• Impromptu dance breaks between strategy calls.

• Intentional beauty in my work rituals: candles, music, warm light.

• Letting insight arrive during laughter around a retreat table, not just on a whiteboard.

These aren’t moments outside the work. They are what deepen the work.

They bring me back to what I call the Sandcastle Self—the version of us who built with joy before performance got in the way. Who created freely. Who didn’t need to prove her worth to own her power.

You Don’t Have to Earn Joy

One of the biggest myths we’ve absorbed—especially as women—is that joy is something we must earn.

We can rest after.

Celebrate after.

Play after.

But what if joy isn’t a distraction from your mission…

What if it’s the thing that keeps you aligned with it?

Joy is not the opposite of power. It’s the heart of it.

3 Simple Ways to Reclaim Joy as a Leadership Practice

If joy feels like a distant memory, here are a few ways to gently bring it back into your day:

1. Create Micro-Moments of Joy

• Step outside and breathe deeply.

• Move your body—not to "optimize" but to come home to yourself.

• Play music between meetings that lights you up.

2. Infuse Rituals of Delight

• Light a candle to open your workday with intention.

• Wear something that feels vibrant and expressive.

• Add beauty to your environment—flowers, artwork, sunlight.

3. Let Your Inner Child Lead

• Ask her what she wants to do today. Really listen.

• Follow a playful nudge, even if it feels "silly."

• Remember that her joy is your power.

Leadership Isn’t Just Strategy. It’s Self-Connection.

This is your invitation to stop postponing joy until the checklist is complete.

The leader who knows how to soften, feel, and come alive?

She doesn’t lead less seriously—

She leads more fully.

Because the truth is: aligned, embodied, creative leadership isn’t born from pressure.

It’s born from presence.Ready to lead from your whole self?

You can dive deeper into these conversations and practices on the Ambitious, Awakened & Aligned Podcast—where we explore the intersection of business, identity, nervous system wisdom, and soul.

Or if you're craving a full transformation, explore my 90-day flagship program: Ready for More—designed for the high-achiever ready to lead with purpose, presence, and power.