Waking up in a house with young children is truly a new experience every day! It never ceases to amaze me how they manage to jump out of bed with a level of enthusiasm and a spring in their step that is enough to make any adult envious – never mind completely perplexed.
Whilst putting my face on this morning, my seven year old boy was running around downstairs, flying his two paper jets that he had made the night before. He was totally absorbed by the present moment and honestly didn’t have a care in the world, other than which of the jets was going to win each respective race.
What a wonderful place to be!
Whilst I am eternally blessed and grateful to have my own business and not have to answer to anyone (for the most part), thus being afforded a lot of flexibility in my schedule – my wake up routine unfolds a little differently… I open my eyes and… “STRESS”… the end. Lol
That’s the short version, but it pretty much sums it up!
The second I am awake, the day’s events start rolling around my head. Jobs to be done, stock to be ordered, people to pay, marketing to be done and so the list goes on… You know the drill!
As adults, we seem to live in a constant state of anxiety and hyper speed – it’s so unnatural – not to mention utterly exhausting!
A little while ago, Jude’s dad bought him a little hand knitted doll from a local craft market, called a “worry doll”. The idea is that you tell it all your worries and then put it under your pillow for the night, and it takes away all your worries.
Jude is a big fan of his plush toys, so every night before bed; he selects who he wants to sleep with. In the middle of this routine, I said “what about your worry doll”… his response melted my heart and made me realise just how precious and untainted childhood (and life in general) can and should be.
“I don’t need a worry doll mommy, I don’t have any worries.”
Again, I say – Wow! What a beautiful place to be, right?! (I think maybe mommy needs to borrow his worry doll… haha!)
I do realise that as adults, we have a considerably larger amount of ‘baggage’ to carry on a daily basis but wouldn’t it be wonderful, if we could all adopt a little more of a “Peter Pan mentality”. You know what I am referring to… that uninhibited passion, love, enthusiasm and blind faith. In fact, if this became habitual practice and we approached our work projects and/or life challenges like that, instead of procrastinating and dreading them, who knows, we might actually enjoy a few of them – perhaps resulting in more positive outcomes… stranger things have happened lol.
In one of my recent blog posts “Breaking the Mold” – I wrote about smiling at every stranger you meet throughout the day – and whilst I endeavour to do this most days, I do sometimes get wrapped up in my own agenda, however, when I do remember, it is actually startling to see the manner in which many respond. Some people return the favour, but most just look at you as if you are from some far away galaxy where, wait for it – people are actually friendly to each other! (Imagine that!!) It’s rather amusing how “foreign” the concept seems to some, that a stranger would smile at them – yet, if you analyse kids, they don’t care whether they know you or not – their decision making process is just so much simpler. You smile at me; you must be a nice, friendly individual.
I have said this many times before, and I will say it again. I think ALL adults should take a leaf out of children’s books. When it comes to the things in life that actually count, they should probably be our teachers and not the other way around.
I propose that we all strive toward embracing a little bit more of a “Peter Pan” mentality into our lives. How about, we at least TRY not to get so stressed out about the details – especially the ones which are beyond our control. Let’s attempt to have a little more of that blind faith and enthusiasm when approaching our challenges too.
– Oh and last but definitely not least – let’s remember to actually have FUN along the way!
If people can cure cancer by shifting their focus onto watching comedies all day long, in turn diffusing their stress and possible depression, then I am certain that we can all make positive changes in our lives by bringing some more jovial activity and free spiritedness into it.
…Take a little more time than usual to sit and just “chat” with your kids. Discover what’s going on their world. Play with them, engage with them and get down to their level. I can promise you something… not only will you walk away feeling somehow “lighter”, you will also have learned something – Perhaps you will learn about how a giant red dragon could and would destroy all the cars in the road if it just happened to fly past, breathing fire onto everything at that particular moment in time - or perhaps you will learn how funny it would be to watch a T-Rex trying to scratch its back.
Perhaps you will learn about how beautiful life actually is, when you simplify things and embrace at least a few moments a day to “play the role of Peter Pan” and become a child again.
There are so many facets to this which stretch far beyond the fun and giggles… however they are equally as beneficial!
There is also unrestricted honesty, the ability to forgive without question, sharing without pretense, loving without restriction, being able to look and see beyond appearance and simply living in the present moment – the list is endless!
Children are AMAZING and GREAT teachers.
Despite the fact that I had decided that I wasn’t going to have any children – there were very clearly other plans for me, and I was blessed with the most exceptional little boy. It was shortly after his birth that one of my mom’s art students told me that Jude was here as my guide and my teacher and that through him I would learn how to slow down.
I believe that message emphatically! My little boy teaches me every day and he most certainly does force me to step outside of my adult whirl wind.
She also told me that the colour he resonates is green – which needless to say is my favourite colour… and his. (Without any influence from either party) – Random addition perhaps… lol (but not to me)
I think I have made my point!
Now go and jump in some puddles or roll down a grass hill!
Until next time…