What is lemonading? How this simple trick can help you better cope with stress

How refreshing!A new study finds that a playful approach to life can help build resilience and lead to better coping skills in stressful and uncertain situations.The concept is called “lemonading” in honor of the adage, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”“Our study revealed that playfulness and resilience are intimately connected through what we call ‘lemonading’ — the ability to imagine and generate positive experiences even in difficult circumstances,” explained corresponding study author Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen of Oregon State University.Shen and her colleagues surveyed 503 US adults in February 2021 during the second COVID-19 pandemic wave.Participants were asked about their infection risk, concern about the future, social support and emotional and behavioral responses to the pandemic.

They also rated their playfulness on a scale measuring spontaneity.They shared how inhibited they felt and how motivated they were to seek out fun.The researchers divided the participants into four groups based on their playfulness.They found that the highly playful participants were more optimistic about the future, including a greater expectation of a successful vaccine rollout and life returning to normal.

But they were still realistic about their circumstances.“Playful individuals didn’t minimize COVID-19 risks or overestimate the effectiveness of protective measures,” Shen said.“They directed their ‘spotlight’ toward possibilities for positive change and growth, illuminating potential paths forward even in dark times.”The high and low playfulness groups did not differ significantly in sex, racial makeup, education level or family income, Shen told The Post, but the most playful cohort was slightly younger.Highly playful participants appeared to be more active, joyful and immersed in their daily lives even as they reported feeling vulnerable and isolated like their less playful counterparts.Shen credited their flexibility and abil...