When I was a child, I was a big dreamer.
My imagination gave me access to a world that was so big with endless opportunities and magic. One day I could be a fairy that created thunderstorms the next day, I could be an explorer finding my way through a dangerous jungle. There was no one to judge me or tell me who I couldn't be because it didn't matter because I dared to dream. I remember going to the library to devour all of the fantasy books I could get my hands on to explore the worlds through the eyes of wonder and awe. My imagination was my best friend.
But we grow older, we have new experiences, things happen and we lose that magic, that luster for life that we once had. We're told how the world is and how things should be and feel instead of us figuring things out for ourselves, We create labels, place them over our heads and live by them day in and day out, moving through the world how we think we should... because that's the way it is.
But I'm here to tell you, it's not. Life isn't supposed to be lived in a four-cornered box. It's to be lived outside of the lines and led by joy. We don't play anymore because we think we can't. We make excuses like we're too busy, or that's not something adults do. We've got responsibilities and bills to pay remember? Wrong.
During the brink of my own self-discovery, I was in the process of quitting my job to start The Joy Tribe Co. At the time, I had been dating a guy for 6 months, who was not entirely supportive of my choices, especially since he assumed I would be leaning on him, financially. But that was hardly the case. I had a plan and a path that I had set in motion well before I had met him.
It was St. Patrick Day. I had decided I was going to post a fun video of myself and my roomie dancing to showcase you can take a break from being serious to be silly. In total Erin fashion, we danced our little hearts out. That night, I went to visit my boyfriend and his response was a testament to the life I was leaving behind. He told me that I shouldn't have posted that video because it wasn't professional and can hurt the business I was building. What he didn't understand was ... this is video is exactly what I am trying to portray. We as humans need to take time to play, to be silly and embrace our inner child sometimes. We've forgotten the joy we once had as children. The joy of seeing the world through curiosity and excitement. We've hardened us adults and become conditioned to be serious, to worry, to see negativity, and to hate. We need to remember to see more joy.
That's what he was missing, he didn't understand that finding childlike joy IS MY MISSION...
✨To create a tribe of individuals who seek joy on a daily basis.
✨To live with our hearts open and our minds curious.
✨To slow down and appreciate the little things.
✨To explore creativity and express our truths
✨To see more positivity in their lives than the negativity that's spewed at us.
✨To see humans as a way to connect and build even more joy and magic.
✨To see ourselves as unique in every way without judgment or comparison to others
✨To see the world with hope and possibility... that one day, childlike joy and curiosity will be what leads the world.
So... what if you could do both? What if you could be both a kid and an adult at the same time? What if you could live a life of joy and still be successful? Being a kid doesn't mean you're being childish. It means you're experiencing life with all it has to offer...being present every damn minute of it.
Here are 6 ways you can embrace being a kid again...
✨Who were you as a kid?
Grab a notebook, close your eyes, and take yourself back to your childhood. What did you like doing? Did you enjoy nature walks, did you play soccer? Did you love writing stories or build with lego? Write down all the activities you loved, games you liked playing, songs you loved listening to, anything that gave you pure joy as a kid. Once you do that... I want you to incorporate some or all of those things into your life in some shape or form. Block off time every day or week to do what GIVES YOU JOY without caring what others think.
✨Try something new and fail at it.
One thing we were really good at as kids were failing. Yea, we fell down and cried but then got right back up and jumped into that ball pit. We need to get back to the mindset that failure is something we all do to learn. It doesn't hurt us and we can always get up and try again. So why not try something new and be open to failing at it? What's one thing you've been wanting to do but scared to because you think you'll fail? Well, you're in luck because it's time to face those fears... and fall down and have the courage to get back up. You never know you might just like the way falling makes getting back up even sweeter.
✨Be curious in every situation
Whether you're on a date, at a new job, moving to a new place... always be curious. When we are curious, we teach ourselves to be open to new opportunities and to try new things. Our curiosity keeps us open to positive experiences even if they don't turn out as planned. These experiences, people, places give us new adventures and lessons that we may not have learned if we weren't curious about what could happen. Curiosity is what keeps life exciting and continues to give you the most beautiful experiences if you're willing to see them
✨Do something silly
When was the last time you laughed so hard that you cried and maybe even peed your pants a little? I'm going to guess it was probably a time where you allowed yourself to be silly. As I grew older, I never want to be silly because I wanted to fit in. I didn't want to be seen as silly because it wasn't "cool" or "adult-like "... whatever that means. One day, I just decided to let go of judgment and other people's expectations. Truly stepping into my authenticity and truly embraced what it means to be... me. Don't be afraid to laugh, cry, be silly, or whatever makes you feel truly yourself. Being silly doesn't make you childish. It makes you brave to live against the grain, to take the risk of being yourself when so many others fear themselves.
✨Use your imagination to create something
I personally, love painting. I've been doing it since I was a child. It's the one thing that releases all inhibitions and allows me to just be me. There are so many people who don't think they're creative. But, I truly believe it's because we're afraid to show ourselves to others. We're scared to "not be perfect". I believe everyone is good at being creative. If we could all forget about being perfect and just focus on just creating and being in the moment - everyone could be considered an artist, To me, art isn't about being perfect or having something to say. It's about the courage to express a feeling and inspiration to the world. Whether it's a few brush strokes or a detailed portrait... it still radiates beauty.
✨Eat the cake... and smile more.
This is a two-for-one but still important. Here's the thing, as kids didn't give ourselves a hard time about things as we do as adults. To be honest, those things made life better. For example, let's talk about cake. A lot of us beat ourselves for eating a slice of cake because we're trying to drop a pant size or we're literally afraid of dessert. If we are able to let go of our fear of our own self-criticism and just love ourselves through the process... that piece of cake wouldn't mean so much. We'd actually give ourselves permission to ENJOY eating the cake. Isn't that a crazy idea? But don't you remember the days when you loved eating cake? It was such a treat to have it. You didn't care about the sugar or the extra pounds you may or may not gain after eating it. You savored the moment and focused on how good that cake tastes. You smiled with every joyous bite. This is my reminder to you... eat the cake, forget the strings attached and smile real big while doing it.
I get it. Life has been pretty crazy the last few years, but I want you to find your joy when things get tough. I hope you will remember to make time for silliness, for creativity, and wonder. Remember that those things that once put a smile on your face and do them even as an adult, even if you feel silly.
Life is too short to be an adult ALL the time.
Lots of love,
Erin xo
Want to find joy? Book your complimentary discovery session with me to start your inner adventure today HERE
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