Anthony DeBenedet is a physician, researcher, and author who dives deep into how playfulness shapes adult intelligence and well-being. His book, Playful Intelligence, offers a clear, research-backed framework of five key traits that unlock joyful, flexible, and resilient living—perfectly aligned with Plex’s mission to playfully expand our lives in meaningful ways.
As DeBenedet explains, these playful traits aren’t fixed qualities you either have or don’t. They can be practiced, nurtured, and expanded. The more you plex these traits into your life, the stronger and more flexible your mind, relationships, and joy become.
🌀 Spontaneity
Spontaneity doesn’t have to mean impulsiveness. It’s not about ditching your life to join a traveling circus (unless that does light you up). At its core, it’s the willingness to pivot, play with possibilities, and shift mental gears without bracing or shutting down.
Plex it into your life:
- Try a new route home, just to see what’s there.
- Say yes to something small before your brain talks you out of it.
- Let a plan change without panic — and watch what opens up.
- Loosen your grip on what “has to happen” today and follow a curiosity instead.
Why it matters: Psychological flexibility is deeply tied to resilience and mental health. It builds adaptability, reduces stress responses, and keeps us from getting rigid in the face of change.
🌟 Wonder
This isn’t about chasing awe-inspiring mountaintops (though those are nice). Wonder is the quiet pause. It’s “Huh.” It’s eyebrow-scrunching. It’s seeing your daily world through slightly new eyes.
Plex it into your life:
- Slow down long enough to notice something tiny — the way light hits your mug, the curve of a leaf, the quirk in someone’s laugh.
- Ask a question you don’t need answered right away.
- Watch a child wonder, and mimic their pace for five minutes.
- Practice “micro-wonder” — seeing magic in the mundane.
Why it matters: Wonder breaks autopilot. It re-enchants our ordinary. It reminds us we’re part of something bigger — and that alone can bring a sense of peace and connection.
🎨 Imagination
Imagination isn’t just for artists and kids with cardboard boxes. It’s your ability to reframe, to mentally time-travel, to connect seemingly unrelated dots.
Plex it into your life:
- Ask “What if…?” at the start of your journal entry.
- Look at a problem and purposely invent a wild, silly solution.
- Make up a backstory for a stranger you pass.
- Read fiction — your brain loves the cross-training.
Why it matters: Imagination gives you access to empathy, innovation, humor, and hope. It opens doors to future possibilities and helps you soften the grip on the way things “have to be.”
🤝 Sociability
This is less about being extroverted and more about how you approach people. Playful sociability means approaching others with curiosity instead of judgment, and being open to connection even when it’s inconvenient.
Plex it into your life:
- Strike up a low-stakes chat with a stranger — at the post office, in line for coffee.
- Ask someone a question that invites a story, not just a fact.
- Treat conversations as collaborative play, not performance.
- Assume complexity in others. Listen long enough to find it.
Why it matters: Sociability builds bridges, not walls. In a world full of fast takes and hot judgments, playful connection is a radical act. It creates space for nuance, delight, and mutual growth.
😂 Humor
Humor is levity. It’s social glue. It’s a pressure valve. And it doesn’t have to be stand-up-comedy level — it can be gentle, silly, wry, or totally ridiculous.
Plex it into your life:
- Tell a dumb joke on purpose.
- Watch a funny video instead of doomscrolling.
- Laugh at your own weirdness. (Celebrate it, even.)
- Keep a “this made me laugh today” list in your Notes app.
Why it matters: Laughter reduces stress hormones and boosts your immune system. But more than that, it makes space for joy and vulnerability — the stuff real connection is made of. It’s also permission to not take life (or yourself) so seriously.
Even making progress in just one of these areas can ripple out into bigger changes. Together, they form a toolkit for a life that’s not just survived but thrived—a life where play, curiosity, and connection lead the way.
So, what will you plex into your life today?
