Permission to Play: Taking Time to Have Fun and Laugh Out Loud

***** This book is a wonderful, playful, and beautiful book filled with ideas, quotations, explanations, and persuasive writing about how and why it is important to make the time and effort to play. Especially good for those women who are workaholics, this book will help women to see that play can really source the rest of their life, including their work life, and that it need not take a lot of time---a few minutes here and there can make a difference. I loved reading it, and found it inspirational and motivational for me in feeling less guilt (and hopefully, someday NO guilt) when incorporating fun into my life. Highly recommended. *****

Jill Murphy Long has done it again with Permission to Play. I have three rules of life-smile, have fun, and be wild and crazy, and Jill's book gives you every tool you need to enjoy life more. On your deathbed do you want your family to talk about how much time you spent at the office? Of course not. Permission to Play provides tons of tips to laugh, live, and be in the moment with your family and friends. Play together, stay together-what a great gift to one another. Cynthia Brian Radio/TV host www.star-style.com

Americans work too much--especially working mothers! I just bought Permission to Play for all of my working mother friends for Christmas. I included an offer to baby sit for them, too--from their husbands! Now, instead of guy's night out, it is our night out to play tennis, go down to the driving range or go to the potter's wheel to paint--whatever sport or creative endeavor fits the season or our mood. I hope this author continues on her streak of writing inspirational books to motivate us women to do what we truly need to do. After a year of practing what Ms. Long suggested in her first book, Permission to Nap, I realize it might take my group a year to fit play in regularly, but we will have fun trying!

Wow! Permission to Play leaves you with no excuses to not just go out there and do it! Whether it's sports, crafts, music, travel, gardening - Jill Murphy-Long reminds us of the fun that awaits us to enrich our lives, including our joy enhancing the lives of those around us. We knew these truths when we were girls and teenagers, but then responsibilities arrived and many of us women lost our focus.Thanks, Jill, for reminding us to give ourselves permission to be the person we were meant to be. Your book makes a great gift for daughters, sisters and friends alike!

While this book is tailored to a female audience, I think it's just as important for men to read up on playing, too. Our current world is missing a lot of spirited play and enjoyment. This book covers all sorts of play from active sports to classic board and card games in such a way as to really motivate you. I went out and purchased several board games after I read the book, because I'd forgotten all about that aspect of play. Lately I've had a ton of fun playing Scrabble, Life, Monopoly and many other games with a group of "wild" friends. Most importantly, this book helps to remind me that play is not taboo and that it's my right and responsibility to help break the Play Stigma in life. If you're looking for motivation to have fun and feel good, you'll find yourself pulling this off the shelf a lot for ideas and inspiration.