1. To find joy in the littlest things

I don't know about you, but I want to be more like the little girl in the picture! As you get older you get more and more responsibilities...school gets harder... relationships get more complicated... and it's so easy to overlook the little things that used to make us smile or laugh.

2. Because forts are AWESOME

The imagination of a child is something we should all aspire to have. My advice: never quit dreaming and don't take yourself so seriously all the time.

3. To view the world through the innocent eyes of a toddle

When you were little, everyone was a possible friend. That's because you hadn't been taught the stereotypes that plague our society yet. The question "what do you want to be when you grow up" was easy to answer, because the world was full of possibilities. No one had told you "no" yet. You bounced back so much quicker because no one had hurt you. We need to learn to view the world this way again.

4. I want my 6-year-old-metabolism back

Don't you miss eating half a pound of candy after trick-or-treating with your friends? I used to go back for seconds and thirds at Thanksgiving dinner, and dessert was never something to be considered (you just ate it... no if, ands, or buts about it). I'm not saying eating healthy isn't important - it is - but diets aren't necessarily fun. I think it's good to treat yourself every now and then!

5. Life just seemed to go by slower

Summer breaks seem to get shorter every year. The months go by faster. Time just seems to slip away from you the older you get. Now that I'm in college, time with my family is fewer and farther between and it makes me miss being little that much more. I'm learning to cherish the time I get with the people I love. I'm also learning to stop wishing life away and enjoy where I am right now. It's healthy to look forward to the future, but it will be here before you know it. Be like a child and live in the present.