I am sure I am not alone in thinking that being an adult can be just so very serious and hard a lot of the time, and no more so than in the last couple of years when so many of us have felt like we have aged tremendously. It is at times like this that perhaps the need to embrace your inner child becomes even more important, as we all need to find ways to lighten the load and inject a little fun and frivolity into a life that is awash with worries and concerns, chores and to-do lists and a myriad of stresses.
Research shows that being in touch with your inner child can be incredibly healing, so how do you find some ways to embrace your inner child? Here we suggest some ideas of ways you can have fun, explore and embrace your inner child.
Do something you loved doing as a child
I recently had the best time in an arcade playing pinball, Street Fighter and The Simpsons. It really was like reliving my childhood and it made me realise how important it is to revisit some of the things you used to love doing as a child.
I wondered why I enjoyed this experience so much, and realised it had something to do with not only the stress reduction quality of playing arcade games but more simply because it is a just 100% fun.
I then discovered plays.org, which offers players thousands of free games across pretty much every type of game but most importantly – it has lots of great arcade games too including all my favourite arcade classics of my youth like their own versions of:
- Neon Invaders (Space Invaders) – the most influential arcade game of all time which I love so much because it captures all the classic fun of an arcade game. There is something so joyous about taking all those clients out!
- Pac Chef (Pac Man) – which I can not get enough of because of that thrill of the chase, music and time pressure not to mention all that nostalgia.
- Tetra Blocks (Tetris) – which I used to spend hours playing as a kid probably because it is the best game ever and my brain can’t seem to get enough of it because it just loves to complete those relentless mini-tasks and find a space for every shape and then some more!
…plus plenty of cartoon games, comic games as well as lots of games that are new to me (and my inner child!) including simulation games which I can’t wait to try.
Be silly
The beauty of being a parent and having kids is that it gives you the perfect excuse to be silly. In fact, being a parent pretty much demands that you don’t take yourself so seriously. So the next time your child asks you to do something silly with them – instead of inwardly groaning and making up an excuse not to, seize it! From crazy dance parties and climbing trees to telling silly jokes and dressing up in the most ridiculous outfit you can get your hands on, the list of opportunities to be silly as a parent is endless!
Just do it!
Remember the last time you were spontaneous and did something without thinking it through or worrying about the possible outcomes of your actions? This is exactly what children do every single minute of every day, and so being more spontaneous is a great way of embracing your inner child. People who are more spontaneous tend to be more happy and relaxed, and are ultimately happier with their lives. To be more spontaneous, it’s important to be open to opportunities, and basically do what you want! Easier said than done as a parent I know, but with a little bit of a shift in mindset and perspective, it can be done as a parent.
Let go – and stop caring what others think
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to stop caring what others think? But seriously, why do we do that anyway? Until a certain age, kids couldn’t give two hoots about what others think. And you can be like that too! To embrace your inner child by remembering these things:
- It’s your life, and so nobody else’s business
- The person who knows what’s best for you is YOU!
- People are quick to judge and most of the time have no idea what they are talking about
- Life is too short
- You can never please everybody, and nor should you
Although children do like to please others, most of the time they really couldn’t care about what others think, so embrace your inner child, silence your ego and stop caring about other people’s thoughts and opinions!
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