Probably the biggest roadblock to play for adults is the worry that they will look silly, improper, or dumb if they allow themselves to truly play. Or they think that it is irresponsible, immature, and childish to give themselves regularly over to play. Nonsense and silliness come naturally to kids, but they get pounded out by norms that look down on “frivolity.” This is particularly true for people who have been valued for performance standards set by parents or the educational system, or measured by other cultural norms that are internalized and no longer questioned. If someone has spent his adult life worried about always appearing respectable, competent, and knowledgeable, it can be hard to let go sometimes and become physically and emotionally free. The thing is this: You have to give yourself permission to improvise, to mimic, to take on a long-hidden identity.

* frivolity: 경박함 ** improvise: 즉흥적으로 하다