Do you think fun is frivolous? Does play make you feel anxious? Do you relate to leisure as being lazy, unproductive and irresponsible?

I get it. I used to be just like you.

My perfectionism and my history—the pain I experienced around my brother’s death when I was so young—turned me into someone who didn’t know how to play or relax. In fact, I was so concerned about spending any time not working that I frequently worked during my off hours while I was at Hay House. It made no sense, of course, since I had a set salary. I would make just as much if I relaxed and enjoyed my time off as if I spent it crouched over my computer. But I wasn’t thinking logically! My beliefs told me that if I wasn’t working, I wasn’t valuable. And if I wasn’t valuable, I wasn’t safe.

It wasn’t until I left my job and started working for myself that I began to give myself time to play and enjoy my life. Which is ironic, since as any entrepreneur knows, when you’re working for yourself, there’s no such thing as paid time off! But my self-worth was finally intact, and I no longer believed I had to be a workhorse to validate my value. After that shift, I not only began to make more while working fewer hours, but I also began to learn how to enjoy my downtime. I can now play and relax without feelings of fear or guilt!

I’m here to tell you, there’s room for everything you need in your life—family, relationships, the right kind of work, and playtime.

So, tell me in the comments below: What will you do today to play?