{"id":3069,"date":"2012-05-29T12:01:10","date_gmt":"2012-05-29T16:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=3069"},"modified":"2012-04-20T11:48:08","modified_gmt":"2012-04-20T15:48:08","slug":"be-more-like-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2012\/05\/be-more-like-children.html","title":{"rendered":"Be More Like Children"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>All behavior is learned. As kids we\u2019re carefree, letting our imaginations run wild. Then we grow up and restrict our behavior to fit into society, or so we believe. I was recently visiting someone with a three-year old. He gave me a stuffed Mickey Mouse and began talking in a different voice as his stuffed monkey. I spoke back in my normal voice and he immediately asked me to let Mickey speak. He had a gleam in his eye when he explained, \u201cThis is make believe so let\u2019s play like they\u2019re talking.\u201d It was such a sweet and innocent statement but really got to me.<\/p>\n

He knew it wasn\u2019t real but was able to lose himself in making believe the two stuffed toys were conversing. I needed his reminder to let go to imagination and play his game. As we chatted with each other through the toys, I found myself relaxing and having fun. My imagination took over as I found things that Mickey would say to a monkey. He enjoyed it. I was amazed at the things his imagination helped him come up with. I felt a lighthearted when we finished.<\/p>\n

Children use their imagination so easily. Adults tend to have more practical behavior. Yet imagination and wonder can feel good at any age. While I may use mine differently than I did as a child, I still like to use it. We can get very blas\u00e9 about things around us. Whenever I interact with a child I\u2019m reminded to look at my world through the eyes of a child, which means finding delight in simple things and appreciating everything around me.<\/p>\n

I like to feel wonder in my surroundings, noticing new things with appreciation instead of just taking it all for granted. Kids don\u2019t do that. If something is good, they like it, even if they\u2019ve seen it many times. Little ones will watch the same cartoon show on TV over and over because they like it. Adults tend not to appreciate things that aren\u2019t new. Children find things to laugh about just because. They don\u2019t walk around worrying about what ifs or if they look good. They just want to have fun!<\/p>\n

Adults become more inhibited as they get older. Kids freely explore whatever interests them and live with more abandon and often a fearless nature. We can really learn from kids. Next time you\u2019re feeling down, go to a playground and watch how the kids play. Feel their energy and excitement with life. Remember when you were like that too. Then try to dig deep and recapture some of that spirit of childhood. It\u2019s still there in your, even if it\u2019s buried deep.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always said I\u2019ll never completely grow up. I still love to get silly and laugh and even use my imagination to play around. That doesn\u2019t make me immature. It does keep the childhood wonder I had growing up alive and kicking. While I wouldn\u2019t just start talking to toys, I do still open my eyes wider to the wonders of life with the curiosity and appreciation of a child. It makes life feel better.
\n***************<\/p>\n

Take the 31 Days of Self-Love Challenge<\/strong><\/a>–a pledge to do something loving for yourself for the next 31 days–and get my book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways<\/a><\/strong> for free at http:\/\/howdoiloveme.com<\/a><\/strong>. Read my 31 Days of Self-Love Posts from 2012 HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Please leave comments under my posts so we can stay connected.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

All behavior is learned. As kids we\u2019re carefree, letting our imaginations run wild. Then we grow up and restrict our behavior to fit into society, or so we believe. I was recently visiting someone with a three-year old. He gave me a stuffed Mickey Mouse and began talking in a different voice as his stuffed…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,15],"tags":[373],"class_list":["post-3069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-self-empowerment-confidence","category-self-love-acceptance","tag-eyes-of-children"],"yoast_head":"\nBe More Like Children - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2012\/05\/be-more-like-children.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Be More Like Children - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"All behavior is learned. As kids we\u2019re carefree, letting our imaginations run wild. Then we grow up and restrict our behavior to fit into society, or so we believe. I was recently visiting someone with a three-year old. He gave me a stuffed Mickey Mouse and began talking in a different voice as his stuffed…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2012\/05\/be-more-like-children.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Lessons from a Recovering Doormat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-05-29T16:01:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-04-20T15:48:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/files\/2012\/04\/playground-214x300.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Daylle Deanna Schwartz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Be More Like Children - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2012\/05\/be-more-like-children.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Be More Like Children - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat","og_description":"All behavior is learned. 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Daylle's books have been translated into over 10 languages and are popular around the world. She speaks for colleges, organizations and corporations. Through her company, Project Self-Empowerment, Daylle creates programs and materials to help people empower themselves. One goal is to raise the money to self-publish her book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways and give it away for free in colleges and through organizations, to give thanks for all her blessings. 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