16 Nov 4 UNCOMMON Life Lessons You Can Learn From Kids
via Thrive Global by Justin Aldridge
“We need to remain childlike. Children don’t dream of being insignificant.”
The first time I heard that quote from Bill Johnson, it resonated so deeply with me because it’s true!
Have you ever watched a child go about life? And I don’t mean super creepy, boarded up windows on a white van type of stuff.
I mean, have you ever just sat back and watched little kids as they play, interact with one another, and navigate this crazy thing called life?
If so, what’d you see? Chances are, you didn’t see things like fear of judgement or failure, racism or prejudice, or anxiety and depression. Those types of things don’t tend to exist in the lives of children.
Sadly though, as we get older and become less childlike, we get disconnected from those ways. We become jaded by the world. We start to embody stories that have been told to us and about us that alter the trajectory of our lives.
As a lifelong learner and lover of life, I believe that I can learn something from everyone. Yes, even a child!
And you can too. That’s why I want to share with you 4 life lessons that we, as adults, can learn from our younger counterparts that’ll allow us to live more rich, meaningful, UNCOMMON lives.
To learn what those life lessons are, keep reading.
UNCOMMON Life Lessons You Can Learn From Kids
Be where your feet are
I’ve got to admit, as a perfectionistic achiever, presence is definitely something I’ve struggled with at times throughout my life.
I’m always striving for that next big goal. And in doing so, it’s easy to get caught in that head down, grinding all hours of the day state, where I forget to eat, let alone be present and take time to enjoy life.
Those are also the times where I feel the most unfulfilled. Crazy, right? I’m achieving a lot on the outside, yet I’m completely unfulfilled on the inside.
That’s why the first life lesson we can all learn from kids is to be present.
Now, to be clear, striving for achievement isn’t the enemy of presence. They can coexist. But, you have to make sure that being present is a priority – especially if you’re an achiever like me.
Otherwise, presence will constantly take a backseat to the next goal on the list. Meanwhile, your relationships will suffer and you’ll be looking back on months or years at a time wondering why the hell you’re so unhappy despite accomplishing so much.
Even though life is described as a “dash” to get people to be intentional about living to their fullest, it’s not so short that we’ve got to be in a hurry to get to the next place all the time.
Little kids enjoy the moment. When they’re at play, they’re not caught up thinking about what they need to do tomorrow, or dying inside to get back to the hustle and grind of pursuing success.
No… they play. They enjoy one another’s company. They are fully in the moment.
And when that moment is over, they move on to the next one.
So, the takeaway here is, learn to balance striving towards achievement with slowing the hell down enough to actually enjoy life each and every day…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE
#happiness #happy #happier #life #lessons #mindfulness #forgiveness