The older we get the more responsibilities we have, but there are times that it’s okay to embrace our inner child. There are things that children seem to know that we have somehow forgotten, things like being confident, brave and adventurous. They have a simple way of life and we somehow get caught up in a million different things. When you find yourself stuck in what seems like an endless cycle of work, this is the perfect time to take a moment and remember these few things that are second nature to kids:
1. Every day is a new day
Remember when mom or dad would say to us at the end of a bad day that tomorrow is a fresh start? Well, that can still be true. Don’t carry the anger from yesterday into today. When you’re a kid, the end of a school a day is such a relief. It’s the time to have a playdate or go to the playground. It’s final: There is no thinking about going back to school tomorrow. Every new day is a new beginning, another chance to have a great day, to make new friends and form new memories.
2. Friendship doesn’t have to be so difficult
Kids make their best friends in a matter of 5 minutes. It’s simple, easy. As we grow older we assume people don’t want to be our friend, and we compare ourselves to every person out there. We make it so much harder then it has to be. We form cliques and think that if someone is already in one, they aren’t interested in making new friends. There shouldn’t be all these rules to friendship. Let's take it back to when the more new friends you met, the more fun you get to have.
3. Enjoy the little things
My mom has often shared that when my brother was very young and he saw a truck, especially one with a crane, they would have to stop and watch it for what seemed like forever. He could stand there and just be amazed with what it was doing. The other day, I saw a man and a woman blowing huge bubbles using a rope and bucket. I decided to sit and watch as kids ran after them, jumping as high as they could to try and pop them before they were out of reach. It was so simple, yet it brought a smile to my face that lasted the rest of the day.
4. Be creative
Friday nights as a kid included playing with dolls, arts and crafts, making up dances or skits, nature walks etc. Kids find boxes and make them into a spaceship or a top-secret clubhouse. Why can’t we do the same? Find an empty shoebox and make it a time capsule or a memory box, or draw or play with clay just for the fun of it. Get lost in something that brings you joy, something that takes you out of your own head. Who says we have to stop being creative as we grow up?
5. Be in the moment
Stress less and laugh more. Kids have a beautiful way of life: they don’t have a care in the world. They focus completely on what they are doing and don’t think ahead about all the things they have to do in the future. They simply think about what is in front of them. It’s true that as we grow up, we have more and more responsibilities, but we too should be able to take a break and only worry about the thing we are currently doing. Read a book, watch a movie, go to an arcade, bowling, or ice-skating. Do anything that will get you to just be in the here and now.
Remember all the things that brought you so much happiness as a child and bring some of those things back or find something that makes you just as happy. Adults are always teaching kids, constantly telling them what to do. But something to remember is that kids have the biggest life lesson of all to teach; to enjoy every day, to get excited over little things, to laugh, to create and to love.
~Written with love and appreciation for those who will never grow up~