Do you remember what it was like as a child, when you had fun without thinking about the world? Well, stop thinking about it and move on to hug the little girl in you! Here are some ideas to reconnect with the perceptive, confident and fun-loving part of you, the one that seems to have disappeared, buried under the hard work and constant tests that life has subjected you to.
Steps
Step 1. Try those things that you enjoyed as a child again
Go to the rides, the toy aisle in the supermarket, a cartoon.
Step 2. Stop getting obsessed with little things
Children have no thoughts! Let go of worries to see if the world around you falls. You will see that it will not happen. And maybe it will give you a bit of clarity and perspective.
Step 3. Children have intense feelings but then let them go quickly
Give it a go. Feel without judging ("It should be a different feeling") so you can move on without getting attached to that particular emotion. It works!
Step 4. If you have children, do what they love
Swing or follow them when they trick or treat. See the world with their eyes. Build sand castles and play in mud. Get dirty, blow bubbles, throw the ball into the neighbor's garden and sneak back to catch it. Jump rope and eat crap.
Step 5. Stop getting obsessed with calories
Eat a lollipop. Get that chocolate and cream pie that screams "eat me". Then run like crazy like a child would, so you'll burn the extra calories!
Step 6. Never say the phrase "I'm too old"
Try "I'm in the middle of my youth" instead.
Step 7. Turn daily tasks into something fun:
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Do you have to do the laundry? Get inside the basket … or at least stick your head in!
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Do you have to dig holes in the garden? Play with the earth.
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Do you need to clean your room? Dance to music.
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Do you have to decorate? Paint swear words on the wall before attaching the wallpaper.
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Do you have to shovel the snow? Make a puppet or play ball fight. Why don't you throw one on that grouchy neighbor's porch?
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Time to cook? Use creativity, imagination and inspiration. Mix odd flavors and create something delicious.
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Gardening? Get all dirty. Here's what the little girl inside of you brings out.
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Step 8. Return to the earth gently
Well, of course you will eventually have to put on the shoes of the responsible adult again. But you will learn that being a child is for having fun. It always comes back to when you were happy as a child and what you did to feel good, fulfilled, happy. Use those memories to be a responsible adult person but best influenced by the carefree child in you.
Advice
- You don't stop having fun when you get older, you get old when you stop having fun.
- Remember: being a kid means being fun, spontaneous and creative.
- Don't forget that you can hug the little girl in you for as long as you want. Don't let the adult world rob you of a child's happiness and freedom.
- If you had a difficult childhood, instead of remembering what it was, try to think about what you would have wanted at the time. Do what you couldn't do, keep some Nutella and eat it in spoonfuls or mix it with ice cream if you feel like it. Take those games you wanted and were denied, whether they are still as children or their adult equivalent: maybe a painting set won't be very childish but it could still excite you. It is not too late to discover those pleasures that have been denied to you and now that you are an adult you may enjoy them even more.
- Looking again for the child in you, don't ignore your adult responsibilities towards your children. When you are responsible for children yourself, it is not conceivable to behave wrongly with them. You are still an adult and you need to set a good example. This means always thinking about their safety without exposing them too much to danger. In other words, if you want to bungee jump, leave the kids at home.
- At work, it's not a great idea to act like a kid, unless you work in a very creative place. Some bosses and colleagues may be frightened by the sudden change, such as starting to come to work on a scooter dressed in polka dot shorts. Or maybe they need a good shake too …
Warnings
- Beware of those who accuse you of "immaturity" and "childlike behavior". They may be jealous of what you just found but also scared of change in general.
- Remember that as an adult, you will be directly responsible for any rules you break.
- This activity is also called "exploring the child in you". This is the step prior to exploring the healer in you In the Reiki. You can explain it in these terms to your detractors.
