Experience Joy Through The Eyes Of A Child
If you want to live a more positive and joyful life, then try to be more like a child. Children are perhaps the greatest teachers of positive thinking. Children are the ultimate positive thinkers. They always look at the reasons why something can be done rather than why it cannot. They have not learned to anticipate life’s obstacles and challenges. Children see life as one big adventure. Maybe we would all benefit by adopting this type of attitude.
Have you ever noticed how children seem to be fearless? They will try anything once. They love life and are optimistic and happy. Children love to explore and learn about what the world has to offer.
Do you remember when you were a child and you experienced something for the first time? I sure do. It was so exciting! I remember the first time I saw the ocean; I was in awe and I still am.
When I was about 4 years old, I tried cheesecake for the very first time. I wasn’t sure I would like it because I just couldn’t imagine how cheese and cake would taste together. My only point of reference for cheese was from the grilled cheese sandwiches that my Mother used to make. How this could be incorporated into cake was beyond my grasp. My Mom said she thought I would like it so I was willing to give it a go. Wow! It was so delicious. Just one bite and my skepticism turned to joy!
I remember learning to tell time. It made me feel as if I had been inducted into an elite club. Possessing that new knowledge was so exciting.
I remember learning to ride my bicycle when I was about 4 ½. My parents surprised me with a bike they had seen me admiring at a department store. I was overjoyed when I discovered they had bought me that very same one.
My new bike had training wheels and it wasn’t long until I started bugging my Dad to take them off. After all, I wasn’t a baby anymore! He told me I had better be sure because he wasn’t going to put them back on. I said I was positive I wanted them gone and he promptly removed them.
It was time for my maiden voyage. My Dad ran along side me, keeping me upright as I pedaled, and then he let go. Whee! I was riding by myself. I felt free and empowered. I rode about 40 feet and then attempted to turn around in my neighbor’s driveway. This resulted in my first crash. It was no big deal. I didn’t care about a slightly bloody and scraped knee, I just wanted to get back on that bike and ride. I was fearless and from that point on the sidewalks were mine! Annhurst Road would never be the same and neither would I.
I was painfully shy as a small child, which I have more than overcome. Learning to ride my bicycle was possibly one of the first steps towards helping me to come out of my shell. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have long since abandoned the shell.
Children have this sense of wonderment. It’s how they learn and how they develop their identity.
Children use their imaginations on a regular basis. They are always coming up with new ideas and solutions. Children are naturally positive because they haven’t yet learned to focus on the negative. They spend more time navigating with their feelings. It feels better to think positively and so this is what they do.
Let yourself develop that childlike sense of wonder. Slow down and take time to enjoy life. Allow yourself to get caught up in doing more of the things you really love to do. Stop filling everyday with to do’s and always look for the positive.
Here are some ways you can experience more joy by looking at the world through the eyes of a child.
- Be curious . Explore the world. Instead of walking away from the unknown, walk towards it. Be bold and be curious. Children are always exploring. This is how they learn. Let yourself start exploring again.
- Accept a challenge . When children are challenged, they get excited and look at it as a game. Let yourself accept challenges instead of walking away.
- Make a mess. Children love to make messes. They do so because they are learning and they simply do not care if they get a little messy in the process. Happiness can sometimes be messy.
- Use Your Imagination. When you’re a child almost everything you do revolves around pretending. Imagination is a wonderful thing. Do things that stimulate your creativity.
We spend so much time and effort trying to grow up and be responsible that sometimes we lose our childlike sense of wonder.
Try to remember some of your first experiences as a child. If you have trouble remembering back that far, then do the next best thing; watch children at play. Notice how they are completely caught up in what they are doing. They live in the moment.
The next time you do something you’ve never done before, approach it with that same childlike sense of wonder. Whether it’s dining at a new restaurant, traveling to a new location, or learning something new, just let yourself be open to fully enjoy the experience by focusing on that moment and only that moment. Seek out and embrace new experiences.
When you see through the eyes of a child, the world is full of amazing possibilities. : p !
