Kids do some pretty silly things, but a lot of their responses are actually pretty rational. They take part in radical self-love because they haven't been hardened by societal pressures, bad experiences, or the stresses of being fully in charge of themselves. Nobody can turn back the clock, but maybe if we recognize the great things kids do naturally, we can move forward in life as even happier adults.
1. Listen to Yourself
Are you tired and cranky? Take a nap. Are you sad? Cry and get someone to hug you. Is your favorite song playing? Get up and dance. Kids don’t act based on how they think they will be perceived – they act based on needs. There are so many adults that could benefit from acting with that sense of unfiltered abandon. It doesn’t matter if you are two or thirty-two, you should always do what feels right.
2. GET EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING!
It’s insane how excitable kids can be. Anything from snack time, to trees outside, to getting an A on a spelling test, you bet that a kid will be pumped about it. After a certain point of being an adult, life gets a little mundane and we forget to celebrate our accomplishments and the little wonders that surround us. Adults could stand to get their happy on a little more often.
3.Take Risks
Kids are insanely fearless – they ride bikes, make up games, and tell you like it is. As people grow older, I think that they stop taking risks because they learn that they can get hurt. You fall off a bike and scrape your knee, so you stop playing outside. Someone laughs at your idea, and then you stop sharing them. It can start off small, but then you look back and realize that you haven’t tried anything new in years. If you climb a tree, there is always a risk of falling, but there is also the chance that you get to the top.
4. Wear What You Want
Screw the conventions of fashion and wear clothes that make you happy. You know your body better than anyone else and there is no reason that you shouldn’t feel great about whatever you want to put on your body. I once worked with a three-year-old little girl who wore different colored socks to school one day. I asked her why one sock was pink and the other one was purple, and she coolly responded, “Because I like pink and purple.” So simple, yet so wise – always do you.
5. Have Confidence
Compared to every other age demographic, kids know how to take a compliment. They don’t have to play it down so the person who is giving them a compliment doesn’t think they are conceited, and they don’t have a voice in the back of their heads telling them that they aren’t worthy of that praise. How disheartening is it that most adults can’t accept a compliment anymore? When someone compliments how fast you are, don’t criticize the size of your thighs. When someone tells you that you were great on a project, don’t respond by saying someone else could have done better. If someone takes the time to recognize something you are good at, try and say thank you instead of feeling guilty.
6. Make New Friends
Technology is great, but in the era of LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, there is so much emphasis on networking. A kid in kindergarten doesn’t walk up to the kid next him and say hi because he thinks that the other kid can do something to benefit him, he does it because he’s interested in making a new friend. Friends are about sharing common interests, finding people with different life experiences, and making memories. Try and get to know someone without the pretense of getting anything back in return.
7. Never Be Satisfied
There is a reason that little kids ask a thousand questions a day, and that’s because their curiosity is never satisfied. You can ask a kid what they want to be when they grow up multiple times a day, and you probably will get several different answers. Kids have a knack for dreaming up grand ideas, while simultaneously questioning everything around them. Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions of yourself and those around you, and don’t settle for anything less than your dreams.
8. Love Your Parents
After a certain age, it’s not cool to sit in your mom’s lap or hold your dad’s hand across the parking lot, but don’t ever be embarrassed by your parents. Their hard work, love, dedication, and support are why you get the chance to be a dysfunctional adult. So call them, say thanks, and tell them “I love you” every once in a while before you go to bed, just like you probably did when you were a kid.
