Why Ambitious Women Forget How to Play

When was the last time you did something simply because it brought you joy? Not because it was productive. Not because it helped your career. Not because it belonged on your to-do list.

In this episode of the InspirED Podcast, Andrea De La Cerda explores why so many ambitious women gradually lose their connection to play, curiosity, and wonder as they navigate careers, family, leadership, and the endless responsibilities of adulthood.

Drawing from her own journey through corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and burnout, Andrea shares how productivity quietly replaced presence and why rediscovering joy became an essential part of rebuilding a meaningful life. She explains why play isn't a luxury—it's a biological necessity that supports creativity, emotional resilience, innovation, and well-being.

Through research from developmental psychology, neuroscience, and organizational behavior, along with practical reflection questions and simple daily practices, Andrea invites listeners to redefine success by making space for curiosity, delight, and the experiences that make life feel fully alive.

Whether you've forgotten what you love or simply haven't given yourself permission to enjoy it, this episode is a reminder that joy isn't something you earn after the work is finished. It may be the very thing that fuels your best work.

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CHAPTERS

00:47 Rediscovering Joy and Curiosity

01:14 Checking every box society handed us.

02:05 We stop asking what sounds fun

03:10 Unknowingly turned every experience in the day-to-day into performance

05:02 The harder we try to optimize every moment, the less fully we experience any of them

06:31 Famous Quotes to Note

08:31 Romanticizing your life

10:56 The Importance of Play in Adulthood

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