The kid in us
Childhood playmates, my mom and this boy's mom were good friends, so we hung out a lot, and laughed a lot.
2019 made it challenging to be happy. But consider this: Have you lost the child inside? Were you spontaneous? Outgoing? Impromptu? Wasn’t it simpler when you could do whatever you like because you didn’t have to consider other obligations? Have you become a “planner”? How often do you laugh? This is a sad statistic! Children laugh more than 300 times each day. Adults average about 15.
I think as we enter careers and raise families we get into patterns that eventually overrule our lives. And we don’t even notice. Bedtimes, dinner times, school and sports schedules. My kitchen clock is still 7 minutes ahead of actual time because it was designated the “bus clock” to get my kids out the door on time. (My kids have been out of high school for 10+ years now.) We become comfortable, but are we trapped? Are we creatures of old habits? How do we get that childlike, unspoiled quality back?
Oprah talks about “aha” moments, when that proverbial lightbulb goes off over your head. Are we aware of the “aha” moments? Do we ignore them? What have we missed out on? As I’ve been working on my Health Coach certification, I’ve come to realize a lot about myself. I’m much more sedate than I was when I was younger. I know some of you find that hard to believe, but it’s true. It’s not just mellowing with age. I’m not as unguarded or spontaneous, and I’m not sure that I consider myself as creative as I once was. I realize that over the years I’ve conditioned myself to stop, be in control, less emotional, more reserved. Where does that exuberance go?
As the holidays approach, let’s rediscover the magical, childlike quality in ourselves. What can you do to add that little bit of joy back into your daily life? Can you view everything with a “child’s mind”? Looking at things as if it were the first time? Learning something new because you’re giving yourself a new perspective? (Or getting that old perspective back?) Try being spontaneous. What can you change up in your over-scheduled daily life? Start with something small. If you always cook salmon on Thursdays, for example, make steaks instead! If you think you’d like to do something “last minute” - do it! Drop everything and go for it. Don’t second-guess yourself. Especially as we age, it’s so important to “go for the gusto” and not waste a minute. Try one small thing every day. Get comfortable with being open-hearted, unrestrained. Dance like no one is watching. LOL - literally laugh out loud! Play. Have fun. Find small moments of bliss all around you. Cherish them. Give yourself this gift. Take it into the new year and practice it daily. Let’s make happiness a priority.
