Embrace your inner child

Here we are, coming out of our homes as things start to reopen. It’s a funny feeling to be able to go places and do things that we weren’t able to do last year, due to the pandemic. 

My sweetie and I decided to pack up the car and hit the road to take advantage of our new freedom. We choose Palm Springs to hike, float in a pool, and soak up some sun. Our dog Benji is now two-and-a-half and has never been in a pool, so we were excited to see his reaction to swimming. 

My husband, Kevin, picked up Benji and walked him into the pool, holding him in the shallow end as he began to dog paddle and find his way back to the stairs. As we called out “good boy!” and praised him, I recalled my childhood days at the public pool, learning to swim. Each class I took I gathered a new sticker and graduated to the next level of swimming. First polliwog then minnow, going all the way to shark. My goal was to be a shark, which I’m happy to say I did achieve—I was so excited and proud of that sticker. 

Watching Benji learn to swim made me think of my inner child. Have I been embracing my inner child and taking time to nurture her? This last past year with the pandemic has been stressful, and I honestly can say I could do a better job embracing my inner child. So I thought, what are some ways to get back in touch with the little girl within? What about you, have you been ignoring your inner child? If so, here are a few ways you, too, can get in touch with your inner child. 

Revisit your childhood

What did you love doing when you were a kid? Revisit this and spend time remembering what you enjoyed doing and how it made you feel. Think of your happy memories, or your favorite childhood food. One of my favorite movies as a child was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  The other day I was channel surfing and it was playing. I snuggled into the couch and started singing along to “Toot Sweets” and thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the playfulness. Relive one of your childhood memories and submerge yourself in it. 

Let yourself be curious

Kids love to learn and are naturally inquisitive. They aren’t afraid to ask questions, and they welcome opportunities to learn more. How can you explore more and seek new opportunities for learning? When we’re continually learning, we’re growing and evolving, and that’s a beautiful place to be. Last year we  changed our diet  plant-based and I’ve been learning to cook without meat and dairy. It’s a whole new adventure, and like I’m learning to cook anew, all over again. It’s brought the fun back into the kitchen, never mind the benefits of healthy eating. What is something that you have been curious about?

Have more fun and play

Kids tell silly jokes and build blanket forts in the living room, all in the name of fun. They know how to belly laugh and really cut loose. I notice my playful side comes out when we play board games with my stepson and his wife. The silliness and laughter definitely gets me in touch with my inner child. I often find my own playfulness comes out when I’m on the beach playing with my dog as he runs in the water. As you begin to connect with the playful innocence of your childhood, you will bring in a new sense of fun and joy into your life.

Get creative – and messy

Kids definitely know how to finger paint with passion, and they also enjoy drawing with their crayons for hours at a time. Expressing your creative side is important for us adults too. Tap into that creativity and do some crafting or DIY project for the house. Perhaps baking a treat just for the fun of it. Let yourself get lost in creativity.

Try something new

Every day is a new adventure for a child. From morning until bedtime, there is exploring to do! Adults who embrace their inner child know that growth occurs when they try new things. Embrace the new by trying a new food, getting a hobby, or anything else you can think of that will change up your day to day life. Try new things, say yes to life, and explore the possibilities. This is the perfect time to get in touch with our inner child. As we step out of this pandemic, embrace that child inside you. Let’s try living a life full of wonder, appreciation for the small things, humor, kindness, and create as we play the day away. That’s what your inner child would want you to do.