When we are young, we play to be older. As we grow, we forget how wonderful it was to be children. However, children have many great qualities that we should resume because, after all, these characteristics were also part of us. It is surprising to discover how much we could be learning from children.
In fact, it’s interesting how often we read manuals or seek help from specialist to be happier and find the psychological balance, when in fact the answer is within us and would be enough looking back. Watching the children through the eyes of an adult could reveal us the way to live more fully rediscovering happiness.
1. Give value to small details
Children do not go after the money or social recognition, put their heart in what they do, are passionate and enjoy the small details. In fact, the main difference between children and adults is that during childhood we enjoyed the ride, while in adulthood we focus obsessively on the results, losing ourselves the best of the way. However, it is in the details where the real joy is.
2. Dare to try new things
Fear of failure is the main obstacle holding the adults. But children didn’t have that fear. We didn’t wonder if we would harm ourselves jumping down the slide, we just did it enjoying the speed. Of course, as adults we take more responsible decisions, weighing the pros and cons, but sometimes we should just let it go, park the fear of being wrong and dare to try new things.
3. Connect with the funny part of you
Bored is boring. Children know it and for this they try to focus on every moment to have fun, they want to make the most of every minute. However, for some reason, when we grow up we lose interest in many things and to entertain ourselves we need increasingly sophisticated gadgets. The key is to understand that fun is not something that comes from outside, it’s an attitude we adopt. We must learn to circumvent the censorship that we have set ourselves to rediscover what makes us happy. Dare to squeeze every moment.
4. Awaken your curiosity
The world is full of amazing things, things we don’t know but for some reason, no longer excites us to be discovered. However, we must regain that passion to discover both the world around us as well as people and even ourselves. When we learn to see life with curiosity it’s like opening a door on a parallel world that allows us to generate new ideas and promote creativity. Remember that in the unknown there’s not uncertainty but rather a universe of possibilities. Look back at things as if for the first time, you’ll always discover new facets that had been overlooked.
5. Express what you feel
Children do not have filters to express their emotions, if they feel sad they cry and if they want a person, they ask for that one. However, as we grow we begin to be ashamed of our feelings and try to hide them, showing them only in the “right” situations. In this way, we lose the opportunity to connect emotionally with the people around us and, without realizing it, we refuse the possibility of feel emotions. Of course, it’s not about losing control of the emotions but to learn to express them assertively, we should not deny or hide them.
6. Get rid of prejudices
Children are more open to experiences than adults, which is because they don’t have a mind full of prejudices. This way, they manage to live more fully each day. However, over the years prejudices become an invisible barrier that prevents us to relate to other people and that limits our worldview. If you decide to go out one day leaving the prejudices at home, you will be amazed at all the things you can discover. Don’t let preconceived ideas transmitted from the society, or the negative experiences, to constrain your ability to fully enjoy the present. Keep an open mind.
7. Seize every moment
Children have an amazing ability to tune out the world and live the present. Anyway, as we grow past and future catch us, preventing us from enjoying the “here and now”. However, when a child is involved putting together a puzzle or eats an ice cream, there is nothing else in the universe for him, he enjoys the action as if it were the first and last. Likewise, we must relearn to seize every moment, because that’s one of the keys to happiness.
8. Fight for what you want
When a child insists on something, it is difficult to convince him of the contrary. The child wants something, fights to get it, tries different strategies and if sees that doesn’t work, he doesn’t give up, but takes another path. However, as we grow, the common sense begins to tell us that it’s better giving up. But the curious thing is that what really makes us abandon isn’t the common sense but rather our fears and insecurities. So when you really want something, remember that perseverance you had when you were a child.
9. Love unconditionally
Children do not condition their love, they love unconditionally, accepting the other person as it is, without trying to change it. However, when we become adults we began to subject our love to a number of conditions, including economical. However, the true love is not the one that poses conditions but that one which accepts the person, with his/her strengths and weaknesses. Love with conditions becomes simply a commodity exchange, and it’s not beneficial for either the recipient and who offers it.
10. Have big dreams
Nothing prevents children from dreaming. For this they have big dreams. However, somewhere along our life we start taking baths of reality and our hopes and dreams ends up running down the drain, until we resign ourselves to live a life that doesn’t satisfy us. However, dreams and hope are the most powerful driving force of our behavior, they give us the energy we need to walk the path. So recuperate your passions and take care of them, don’t stop dreaming because at that very moment you’ll stop living.
The French philosopher Rousseau said: “Infancy have its own ways of seeing, thinking and feeling; nothing is more foolish than pretending to replace them with ours”.
