Need Your Joy of Life Back?

Here a secret, there a drug – everywhere a book, a Hub. Are you struggling or stressing with life's pressures?

Regain your balance and let fun back in your life!

It may be simpler than you think.

All you have to do is ‘remember when’ to let your inner child guide you back to doing whatever brings you the most pleasure (mature fun not included). As adults we’re conned into thinking life must be tough and c-o-m-p-l-i-c-a-t-e-d. We take on huge burdens of responsibility, working our little tails off trying to fit it all in, trying to understand.

Well, while you’re figuring it all out, may I suggest you simply let go of the struggles once in awhile? Taking a little time to play just may show you how it can ALL become so much easier!

LET YOUR CHILD BE…

Jean Piaget, one of the towering figures in the twentieth-century on child psychology defined it in a nutshell,

“Childhood is a period of “unquestioned acceptance” [and belief] in the given world”.

So much has been written about this field in the last 30 years from Pearce’s “Magical Child” in the 70s through to today’s Centerpoint Research’s subliminal CDs/DVDs that help people move back into the same mind state. You can read or listen to these to get back in touch with the child within.

Centerpoint’s subliminals return you to that “theta” brain wave state we’re in as children or we experience when meditating.

This is where our creativity and imaginations can run wild!!!

These are the moments when we are totally accepting of our worlds.

You are a child of the universe.

No less than the trees and the stars...

You have a right to be here” -Desiderata

Have you ever questioned or not accepted your world? Has it ever caused you pain or stress?

OK, do you want to know a secret? 

Listen carefully... I’m going to let you in on one.

Well, wait, wait, let me ask first ---

Do you remember some of the wonderful moments of your childhood? Do you? Think about it for just a moment.

Remember what you did when you were a child that made you feel safe and free? Perhaps you went to fly a kite and felt that exhilaration watching your kite fly high up in the sky, free as a bird – running through the wind, feeling a connection to that freedom?

I remember jumping out of bed on Saturday mornings hardly able to CONTAIN my joy because I was going to be able to ride my bike and feel free and completely independent!

We lived in an area that was just being developed so there were always new houses being constructed, things to explore and best of all, there was still a HUGE apple orchard behind our house, so we always had plenty of trees to climb. We built little towns with my brother’s dinky toys and used the blossoms as mini trees. Before we knew it, we’d created completely uncomplicated little villages!

While babysitting a couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of how carefree and easy kids make it. I was coloring and adding stickers with the older mature child of 6. Her little sister came bouncing out of the kitchen with some measuring cups to go play in the dirt. In my mind I could see my cups running through the lawnmower so I said,“Oh no Honey, those are for cooking”.

As soon as I said that she immediately grabbed some of the stickers, gently placed them inside each cup and headed back to the kitchen to pretend cook them. Her sister and I went along when she returned claiming how scrumptious they were. Continuing the game, I asked if she could make me some more. Her sigh was almost imperceptible but she obliged, measuring out more little stickers to bake. As she headed back into the kitchen her older, wiser sister felt compelled to explain her sigh, “She’s already bored with that – she’s just being nice now.”

Do you remember the joy you easily created with your imagination? Do you remember the exhileration of climbing trees? Or riding your bike exuberantly? Or how about when it started to rain and you’d call your best friend up to just go play in the rain? Ahhhh, those were the moments when we felt HAPPY TO BE ALIVE!!!

Someone once asked me to think of a song I may have sung when I was younger and when I remembered it, it brought tears to my eyes to realize the peace that it used to give me! I could even remember when I first heard it sitting around a glowing and warm fire at camp – everything right with the world.

After that, if things were ever out of sorts in my world, I would sing that song and feel safe and warm and wonderful again.

Did you ever sing when you were a kid? Didn’t it feel great!!! The song I sung was called “Today”. “Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine. I’ll taste your strawberries; I’ll drink your sweet wine. A million tomorrows shall all pass away, ere I forget, all the joys that were mine today…”

Totally accepting of the given world indeed!

What did you do as a child to ease any confusion while in the midst of the adults’ complicated and stressed world? Think about it for a moment…

As kids we didn't study about it, did we? We didn't wake up Saturday mornings and think, we better read for an hour or two to figure out how to have fun today. No, we got away from the world of adults as often as possible and abandoned those swirling thoughts of what we were supposed to be doing - how things were supposed to be. We wanted to run and run and simply feel FREE!

Do you remember any epiphanies? Did you have a day or event that became synonymous with absolute joy, or something you learned that formed who you are today?

One of my best moments as a child, that really changed my life forever, was in the first grade. I was competitive then and it was the first track meet ever. I loved to run, I loved to win – this was going to be awesome!

The races began and I was in the ZONE, winning ribbons galore. Then came a three legged race – I had to have a partner so I grabbed my girlfriend Kathleen. She was a big girl and was VERY apprehensive about going in any race at all. I convinced her to join me, we couldn’t lose I told her – trust me. We tied ourselves together at the ankles, waiting at the starting line, adrenaline pumping, anticipating the win with jubilance (at least that’s how I remember it).

...*BANG*...! The starting gun sounded and I took off like a “bat out of hell”! Unfortunately Kathleen almost fell flat on her face. So I slowed a little for her until I noticed everyone else zooming along and passing us.

Now that I couldn’t handle so without even thinking I pretty much picked Kathleen up and took off again – determined to catch up! We did catch up and came in second place. For a brief moment I was disappointed – second – uggh. I’d promised her we’d win… I told her to trust me and I let her down.

Then I looked over at Kathleen and the excitement that showed on her face was more joyous than I’d ever felt in my whole life! She’d never even imagined being able to win a race and WE CAME IN SECOND!!! Right then and there I realized that there was only one thing in life more rewarding than feeling that childlike anticipation and winning. That was helping someone else excel at something they would love to do, but perhaps lacked a little confidence - AND WINNING WITH THEM!

So, want to know the secret?

Your loving, accepting, exhilarated, jubilant child IS still within you! YES!!!!!!

All you have to do is let it out if things ever get tough. All you have to do is remember some of those cherished moments or create new ones! And if it seems hard to do or it seems there’s no time to get around to it, just help someone else feel that complete acceptance and joy of winning and believe me, it will all come flooding back and you’ll feel FABULOUS again! Yet another part of the secret is, as adults we are free! We can accept our world completely at any given moment. It’s our choice. We can do and be and go wherever we want.

Give yourself permission to let your child BE. It’s time to play again! Time to feel complete joy and look around for the fast track - Someone else you may be able to help feel it too.

Feel the total acceptance and joy – LIFE IS AWESOME!!!