Embracing Your Inner Child
We’re often encouraged to reconnect with our inner child. That part of us that constitutes innocence and playfulness and which tends to disappear over the years as we conform to all that’s expected of us in adulthood. How we go about reconnecting with this childish element of our personality is a different matter and can be a subject for derision.
In reality, embracing the intrinsic qualities of childlike playfulness, such as imagination, invention and curiosity can enhance our everyday adult lives. Pablo Picasso said that “every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Children tend to have no problem using their imaginations and coming up with a myriad of uses for seemingly uninteresting objects. They view the mundane with a magical lens and are able to be innovative in their approach to everyday activities.
So, take a leaf out of their book and make more time to play. If you have children, do the things that they love: rather than standing on the sidelines, join them on the swings! Climb, run and jump with them. Make mud pies and enjoy getting mucky.
Take your children trick-or-treating and fix the whole family up in fancy dress costumes. While receiving an invitation to a fancy dress party may initially invoke a groan, let your imagination kick in and you’re bound to abandon all inhibitions and enjoy the fun and frivolity of looking a little foolish.
Spread the Joy
Children wave, smile and say hello indiscriminately and are puzzled when their greetings aren’t reciprocated. The simple act of smiling or laughing holds a great healing power and helps us to connect with others.
Children also have the enviable ability of being able to feel something intensely and move on from the feeling without questioning it. Embrace a feeling for what it is, without judgement, and you may also find it easier to move on.
Stop sweating over the small things; letting go can be intensely liberating. Realising that your world won’t collapse when you cast aside petty worries can help you gain clarity and a new perspective – benefitting your life in numerous ways.
Children are carefree and whilst as adults we may not be able to be so completely free of worry, we can certainly seek to adopt this attitude as much as possible. The trick is not to abandon responsibility entirely but to be a responsible adult who’s influenced by their carefree inner child whenever appropriate.
