Do you remember your childhood? Life was so good back then. You were in a constant state of fun and celebration. The world was full of colour. Yes, sometimes you were sad and cried too. But at the end of the day you got into bed full of happiness and dreams. Remember? You fell asleep dreaming. In the morning you could run around all day with boundless energy, never once tired of it. When you got sweaty, you gulped down water — then straight back to the fun. The smallest sound, the tiniest thing, was enough to delight you.
“But the world was better when we were kids — it’s gone downhill since,” you might say. Yes, the world you grew up in is very different from today’s. But one thing hasn’t changed. For today’s children, life is still wonderful. Compared with you right now, they’re happy. They’re simply having a different childhood from yours. But they still know how to enjoy life far better than we adults do.
So what changed? Really — what changed?
Do you think you have to live life seriously and be a serious person?
Is your answer yes?
Of course — you’ve grown up! You must be serious at once!
- Yes, there may be times when you need to be serious.
- Yes, you may have to deal with serious matters.
- Yes, sometimes you may lose your temper and seriously want to strangle your clients, your boss or your manager. I understand.
But you don’t have to turn seriousness into a lifestyle!
There may be times to be serious — but you don’t have to take life itself so seriously!
Your inner child is fighting for breath. You’re killing them. And they’re saying, “I don’t want to die…” Listen to them. It’s possible, even at your age, to be a child again, to see life through a child’s eyes, and to be far more successful and happy than most people. Do you really want that?
The real skill is being able to become a child again. Savour each moment for what it is. Be a child. The more you can become a child again and see life as a game, the more you’ll say “hello” to a happier and more successful world. And the better you feel, the more the overall quality of your life will change.
A One-Minute Exercise
Now recall a moment from your childhood when you were playing happily and joyfully.
No being lazy — really remember it!
Feel that moment. Feel the excitement inside you. Feel that childlike innocence, that happiness, love and purity. Your heart is beating with great innocence, great excitement and great love. Can you feel it? Keep going until you do. First, feel this emotion sincerely. Close your eyes for one minute, bring the moment to life in full detail, and feel its emotions with all your heart.
Now carry those feelings into today and into your body as it is now. Feel your heartbeat, the excitement inside you, the childlike innocence. Look around you through these eyes right now. Walk with these eyes. Speak with these eyes. See the world through your child’s eyes. And promise yourself — at least for today.
Do you want to enjoy life today? Then how about becoming a child again today?