Do you remember what it was like to be a child?
Children are naturally carefree, accepting, and imaginative. When you were young, nothing was out of reach. Magic was in the air and anything was possible! Your closet door could be the key to another world and a simple blanket fort could transport you to another time. Being a child means living in the moment and wanting every moment to be fun.
Unfortunately, spending years being responsible for your home, your family, and work projects can make that twinkle in your eye seem like ancient history. Cooking dinner, doing dishes, and making the bed, all while thinking about what you need to get done at work tomorrow, isn’t any fun.
If you want to live a more fulfilled and enjoyable life, it is absolutely essential that you let your adult responsibilities go and get in touch with your inner child, even if it’s only for a moment. Here are some tips for doing just that!
Be curious
Children are curious by nature. There’s just so much to learn! As we get older, we get a firm grasp on how to use language and how the world works. Then, all the magic leaves the world around us. In reality, we don’t know as much as we think we do. We view our preconceived notions day in and day out.
Try injecting a little curiosity into your life. What does sand really look like? Get down in that sandbox and look! How many petals does a rose have? Even as an adult, it’s still fun to see how long you can hold your breath under water!
No matter what it is you’re curious about, don’t be afraid to do a little research. The benefit of being an adult is that you can use books and websites to help you learn more about the world around you. You can inject curious questions during a conversation to learn to listen without judgment, be fully present and open up to new possibilities.
Be accepting
Children are naturally trustworthy. As person after person shatters our trust, we quickly learn that only a select few deserve to know our innermost secrets. Although you definitely shouldn’t share your life story with everyone you meet, we could all do a little better at having a little bit more of transparency and giving everyone we meet a chance.
Have you ever ignored what someone had to say because of the way they look? Or maybe they have different beliefs than you, they live in a tiny, messy house, or they seem unhappy and uncomfortable.
None of those things mattered when you were a child. All it took for someone to be your friend was the fact that they lived across the street! Be open, honest, and accepting when you first meet people. You’ll likely learn that the two of you have more in common than you ever thought.
Be playful
As we age, we become more and more concerned with what other people think. We act, speak, and behave in ways that are inoffensive and don’t draw a lot of attention to ourselves. Now, take a moment to think about how children behave.
They don’t care very much about what other people think. They wear mismatched socks, shorts and tutus at the same time, and unabashedly run through the sprinkler when they’re fully clothed. They do these things because they want to, and they don’t hold back just because they worry about what someone else might think.
Take a moment each day to be playful. Sing along to your favorite song during dinner, wear the clothes you love, even if they clash, and see if you can still do a cartwheel. Who cares what your neighbors might think!
Be present
It comes naturally for children to be present in every moment. They aren’t worried about the fact that their homework is due tomorrow or that they got into a fight with one of their classmates last week. They take every moment as it comes.
Although, as an adult, it’s important to use the past to inform your decision, while setting goals and making plans for the future, you definitely should spend less time worrying about the past and the future. Most of the things we worry about revolve around assumptions and events that haven’t even taken place yet. Appreciate the moment and you’ll end up with a lighter heart.
Be willing
Open up to the possibility of what being curious can bring to your life. In the book Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected, Tania Luna states “We feel more comfortable when things are certain, but we feel most alive when they’re not”. Start being comfortable with being curious. Even baby steps are steps in the right direction! Invite your inner child out to play and you’ll slowly, but surely, begin to enjoy everything that life has to offer. Contact me for more insights on how your inner child can come out and play.
How does your inner child show up in your life?