S1 E16 Are You Too Serious? Why Playfulness Is the Midlife Skill You've Been Missing

In this episode, Margit and Clarkie get into something that doesn't get nearly enough airtime in the wellbeing conversation — playfulness. Not the kind that requires a holiday or a special occasion, but the everyday kind that shifts how you show up in your own life.

They explore what it actually means to bring a playful attitude to ordinary moments — at work, at home, even in the hard seasons — and why it's often the first thing we abandon when life gets serious. With 4.1 million Australians treated for stress, anxiety, and depression in 2025 alone, the question of how we lighten our inner load feels more pressing than ever.

This conversation is grounded, warm, and genuinely fun. It touches on everything from competitive sport to corporate culture to Ash Barty's unexpected trick for making press interviews bearable. It's the kind of conversation that makes you want to go outside and bounce a ball — or at the very least, skip to the kitchen.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• Why playfulness is about how you do things, not just what you do

• What happens to our energy — and our performance — when we stop taking everything so seriously

• The unexpected link between play, creativity, and genuine wellbeing

• How one elite athlete reimagined her most dreaded professional ritual through the lens of play

• Why humour in the workplace can be a generous act — and when it isn't

• The small, everyday invitations to be more playful that are hiding in plain sight