WHAT IS GOODIFICATION?

By definition, goodification is adapting and innovating any activity, based on the environment and the development of the audience, to make it as joyful, connecting, empowering, and engaging as possible.

Very simply, goodification is the act of seeing the good in things, and then make small adjustments to them, so we can amplify and grow more good.

In practice, we goodify in order to create the optimal conditions for everyone to be at their best. Goodification is the ongoing practice of first noticing when there is potential for the things we do, the interactions we have, the environments around us, as well as our perspectives and dispositions to be more joyful, to feel safer or more empowering, to be more engaging, or to create more connection.  And then, Goodification is the ongoing practice of making intentional changes to enhance the good that was already there and to better meet the needs for joy, connection, safety, empowerment, and engagement of the individuals who are involved.

The bottom line is we goodify to create O’Playsis.

O’Playsis is the made up word that represents an oasis of playfulness.  It is the optimal environment for healing, learning, and growing, because it supports freely and joyfully engaging, connecting, and exploring with the surrounding world.  It is vital for children to feel the supportive environment of O’Playsis in order to live a good life and reach their full potential.  And for children who have experienced great challenges and overwhelming fear in their lives, O’Playsis is essential for helping them calm the alarm systems in their brains and bodies, so they can reengage in healthy relationship building, emotional regulation, and cognitive development.

There are four key ingredients to creating O’Playsis.  These are the cornerstones of a Playmaker practice, which is the art of building life-changing relationships with and environments around children.

Active Engagement is the feeling of being fully present and in the moment.  It is the awe-inspiring sense of being “here now,” that allows us to take in the full sensory experience of that moment.  When we are actively engaged, we can express creativity and imagination, and we can be curious and ready to explore.  It can even feel like time stands still when we are deeply actively engaged.

Internal Control is the combination of feelings of safety, worth, and competence that support our ability to engage and challenge ourselves.  With these feelings, we are able to develop a sense of freedom and empowerment that leads to an “I can do it attitude,” as well as the abilities to handle the ups and downs of our emotions, to try to meet challenges with success even when we feel frustrated, and to believe that we can influence our world.  These abilities help sustain us through life’s challenges. When internal control is low because feelings of safety, worth, and competence are absent, we cannot fully engage with, connect with, or explore the surrounding world.

Social Connection is the drive for cooperative interaction with others founded on a sense of community and belonging.  Feeling this sense of belonging is crucial to our overall well-being, as it enables us to explore the world around us independently while knowing we have a safe base to which we can return.  It is when we are secure in being a part of something bigger than us—a community, a family, a team—that we can choose both healthy moments of independence as well as moments of connection, giving and receiving help, playful interaction, and positive relationship-building with others.

Joyfulness is feelings of love, fulfillment, and hope that can be expressed with contentment as well as exuberance.
 When we are joyful, we feel a deep sense of awareness of and gratitude for the goodness that is all around us. Joyfulness is not the absence of sadness. Instead, it is the enduring inner sense of fulfillment and positivity that helps us work through adversity, and even tragedy.