A Childlike Joy

Hello Beautiful People!!

Have you ever heard the phrase, "You can learn a lot from a child"? If so, let me be the first to say it's a fact that's becoming more evident each day. When we were children, everything seemed so simple! We possessed the zeal to fearlessly explore life and the things therein, as our true authentic selves; unbiased and without ego.

In observing my own children, I've realized that we (adults) could avoid A LOT of undue stress by approaching certain aspects of life the way they do! Children have an amazing way of being forgiving, not holding grudges, and loving you unconditionally; flaws and all. For example, my 1-year-old gets upset when I have to correct her behavior, and my oldest is never happy about having her most prized possession (in her eyes) taken away as a consequence for something she's done wrong. But within minutes of being chastised, they go right back to being themselves; hugging us, laughing with us, and acting as if nothing ever happened.

As we age, we sometimes lose that childlike joy, resilience, and sense of wonderment. We become jaded, the little things don’t excite us as much, and many of us end up losing our ability to see the true beauty in the world. Instead of finding joy in everyday life, like going for a walk, reading a new book, or cuddling up and watching a movie, we look for our excitement in tangible things. We often forget to stop and bask in our "Wins" because we're so busy moving on to the next "bigger and better" thing!

When you're a child, no dream is too big, and your imagination is limitless! If we, as adults, could affirm ourselves in this way, see our dreams as attainable, KNOW that giving up is NOT an option, and use our imagination as a guide to creativity, WE WOULD BE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH! DO YOU HEAR ME?!?

I've made a promise to myself to have (and never lose) my childlike joy! I want the type of joy that allows me to see a silver-lining in every cloud, a triumph in every trial, and the ability to experience life vs. simply existing in it!

Here are some things I plan to do to maintain my childlike joy:

1. Laugh… A LOT!

Life is too short to take it too seriously. Children LOVE to laugh… the type of laugh that comes from the bottom of their gut! Hearing a baby giggle or a young child just LOSE IT over something they think is funny ends up putting a smile on our face too! So, it's important that we find humor in things, even in our moments of darkness.

2. Create, Create, Create!

Children are SO creative! They make the simplest tasks like coloring, painting, and using their imagination look like the best thing ever! Try new things, explore new options, and allow your creative energy to flow!

a) Create more content! Y’all are about to get these home videos that don’t always have the best lighting, but the moments are priceless!

b) Dance! Ok, I LOVE to put on a good concert all by myself... don't judge me! LOL There's just something about dancing that makes you feel free!

c) Slow down! Being able to feel childlike joy means allowing yourself to live in the moment! Honestly speaking, I'm notorious for juggling WAY TOO MANY balls at one time, so I'm always praying not to drop 1... SMH

I'm working to get to a place where I'm able to live, laugh, and love as if I've never been hurt. Don’t get me wrong, the “hurts” have taught me lessons, strengthened me, and contributed to who I've become. But maintaining my childlike joy will help me to let things go and bounce back more quickly than I once did.

Some people may think it's silly to experience any type of childlike feeling as an adult, but I challenge you to go against that idea. It is an amazing gift to see the beauty in the world, in people, and in the little things.

That’s all for now, and I hope you enjoyed this post. I’ll be back soon, but until then, go do something "Child-ISH"!!!

Love always,

Just Kesha La’Sara